100 In The Shade
by CookieCrumblz545
Summary: Blake Belladonna, manager of the Belladonna family's Nightshade Ink House. After wrapping up her associate's degree in art at the University of Beacon and breaking away from some relationships she'd rather forget, Blake finds herself back home in the small, sun-kissed Menagerie Platform of downtown Patch City, deciding to apply her skills to a tattoo parlor that's seen better days.
1. Sun and Shade

**Chapter 1: Sun and Shade**

Blake stretched, rolling over as she shrugged off her duvet. Her phone screen was lit, blindingly bright in the dark room. Even without the shades drawn, the only other light offered was that of the street lamp outside her window. An insistent beeping echoed from the phone speaker, and Blake leaned over to her nightstand, tapping the button that would shut off the alarm a few times before succeeding. Bracing her feet for the cold, creaky wooden floorboards, she sat up, left the warm embrace of her mattress behind, and crossed the room in a few strides.

Her clothes for the day were already hanging on the handle of her dresser drawer. Really, they were more draped across the wire frame than properly hung, and it was good fortune that nothing had slipped off and fallen on the floor, but Blake didn't mind. She dressed quickly, detoured to the bathroom to splash some water on her face so it could be counted as 'washed', and grabbed a muffin from the kitchenette before jogging down the carpeted stairs which could've really used some new carpet. She'd have to get on that.

It was a little after 7:15 in the morning, and there was some prep work to do before she opened up shop at 8:00. Blake allowed herself one more satisfying back stretch and a scratch of the ear before spinning into her daily routine. Wiping down chairs and table tops, making sure everything was in order at the front counter, tidying the waiting area. She grabbed a broom from the corner and pushed through the glass door, which she probably needed to wipe down later, to sweep the walk.

"Hey, neighbor." An amiable voice called from her right, the sound reverberating off of the cool sidewalk.

Blake leaned against the handle of her broom, sighing. "Morning, Sun."

The greeting had come from a tanned young man standing before the storefront next door. Sun Wukong, the newly-sanctioned owner of The House of the Western Sun floral shop, also held a broom in his hand, sweeping away dried petals that had fallen from the outdoor displays as he usually did. Blake attempted each morning to be awake a bit before her talkative neighbor in order to tidy her storefront in peace, but apparently the other had also discovered the advantages of early rising, much like his namesake.

It was still quite dim out, but the sun had made itself more apparent in the horizon, and the sky was a grey-indigo that mingled well with the yellow light of the streetlamps and the crumbly brick buildings that constituted the Menagerie Platform. Blake had grown up in the charmingly dilapidated downtown area of Patch City. After being away for a few years, she should have felt relief at leaving the University of Beacon and returning to her childhood home. But instead of relaxed, Blake felt more restless than ever.

"So." Sun's characteristic grasp for conversation interrupted her brooding thoughts. "Got any plans tonight?"

"Sun…" Blake began, swiping the frayed plastic bristles across the cement.

"No, no, not like that," he assured with a twitch of his tail and a winning smile. "One of my old friends is in town, y'know, for all the stuff that's been going on."

His smile didn't break, but Blake glanced down with a slight frown. Sun had arrived back in Menagerie just before she had - his father, Bronze Wukong, the previous owner of the flower shop, had passed away the previous week. The funeral had been a couple days earlier, and Blake assumed some of Sun's friends and family had come to Patch for the event.

"And I wanted to introduce him to you and show him your shop, 'cause you have all that neat display stuff on the walls," the monkey faunus continued. "So, are you busy?"

"Well, no-" she admitted, immediately regretting it.

"Great! His name's Neptune, by the way. I think you'll like him, he's a great conversationalist, quite the intellectual, like you. I'll bring him over around six, sound good?"

"Sun-" Blake feebly attempted to protest.

"Can't wait. Catch you later, neighbor!" And with that, he gave one last sweep of his broom and did a combination between a skip and a bound back into the floral shop. Blake scoffed, jaw hanging slightly open in disbelief of her poor luck. Giving up on her sweeping, she re-entered Nightshade Ink House and put away her broom, sighing as she grabbed a rag and a bottle of cleaning solution to tend to the smudged door. Looked like she was going to have company that evening.

Blake quickly ran back upstairs to grab a cup of coffee to bring down with her while she ran the shop. Gods knew she would need it to keep up with her energetic neighbor.

* * *

 ****A/N: Hey, guys, back with another one. I've been so active recently I FEEL SO ALIVE. I actually mapped out this one in my layover between midterm exams in the school library yesterday. I was so excited about it that I outlined even more and then began writing last night, and finished this chapter just this morning after I finished another one of my exams. I've only recently discovered how effective outlining is for me. It doesn't have to be organized, but just writing down my ideas and train of thought as it comes is so helpful. I used to just keep it all in my head, but then I would forget things, I wouldn't get around to them, I'd run out of ideas, lose motivation, things just wouldn't get done.**

 **But I began typing everything down, and the ideas just kept coming! Before I was halfway done with my outline I already had a crap ton of world building, expo/character backstories, and a basic plot laid out. I'm trying so hard to contain my excitement right now it's very uncharacteristic for me but it FEELS SO GOOD.**

 **A little about the story, it was initially intended to be a couple oneshots of the Florist/Tattoo Artist AU with a few different pairings. You know the Tumblr meme: take a pairing, one is the florist, the other owns a tattoo parlor next door. Then take whomever would obviously be which one and swap 'em. Well, I planned a Sun/Blake oneshot, a Neptune/Yang, and maybe a couple others. I was mulling over it as I tried to fall asleep Sunday night, but by the time I had gotten part of my outline down the plan was a little different and leagues better.**

 **So, BOLO for future chapters, I plan to be churning them out over break (I attend school in America). Also, if any formatting gurus can tell me how to get back my 'add horizontal line' option that mysteriously appears and disappears on a whim, I'd be grateful. Hopefully you'll hear from me soon.**


	2. Another Set of Hands

**Chapter 2: Another Set of Hands**

"Hey, Dad!" The shout echoed off of the walls of the garage before entering the office space and reaching Taiyang's ears. The man dropped his pen, standing up a bit and leaning over the desk so that his reply would be better heard.

"What's up?"

"We need a new order of tires, we're already out after those junkheaps I worked on the other day. Usual size and tread." Yang took a breath before continuing, obviously needing to project a bit across the space. "Also, we could probably do with more spark plugs, it's crazy, how many of the refuse cars need entirely new ones."

"On it." Taiyang returned to his padded chair with a sigh, retrieving his pen to scribble down a refill list.

Ever since Ruby, his youngest daughter, had left for her first year of college the previous month, he'd had to man the front desk and phone, something the eldest Xiao Long was not too adept at. Sun Wukong, their only other garage worker, had moved back across town to the Menagerie neighborhood when his old man died. As unfortunate as it was, someone had to run the Wukong family's floral shop. And to top it off, the competing detailing garage on Merrow Avenue had changed locations to the next town over, so business was better, and more demanding, than ever. Of course, this was great news for the Xiao Long Auto Shop, but it was not a prime time to have only two employees who usually worked part-time.

Wheeling his chair over to another desk, Taiyang opened a new document on the computer. It was high time he got around to hiring another set of hands.

* * *

She shivered at the foreign blend of a cool morning breeze and warm sunlight. Standing outside the coffee shop that had taken her almost a half-hour to find, Weiss Schnee entered and seated herself, legs grateful for the rest. By no means was the young woman out of shape, nor unable to walk properly in high heels, but she had been wandering the strange and confusing streets of Patch City for most of the morning, and it had been awhile since she had walked somewhere rather than being driven.

After a moment's rest, Weiss move to stand in line a minute or two, ordered a hot drink and pastry, and returned to her seat with her fare. Checking her phone, she noted that it was late morning, already after 10:30. Well, she had hoped to have achieved more by this point in the day, but goals always did need to be met in small strides. Taking a sip from her small coffee, she sighed. So much had happened over the past two days.

The hotel she was staying at certainly couldn't serve as long-term accomodations, she would have to find an affordable apartment somewhere in town. It wouldn't be hard to swing the first few month's rent: her grandfather had opened a bank account in her name when Weiss was very young, with money set aside just for her. Of course, her father did have access to it initially, but she had gone in and changed the access code and barred him from the account a couple years back without his knowledge. Already having shredded the credit card which her father both monitored and controlled, Weiss had taken some cash out of her account the other day to pay for the hotel, adding the leftovers to the pocket change she kept in her purse - though there was no doubt that what she considered 'pocket change' was a full month's salary to many.

However, the contents of the account would only stretch so far, and Weiss was not eager to keep going until it was completely empty. No, she'd need to find a suitable job, and soon. The concept daunted her a bit; after all, no recently-turned-loose adult is completely confident about job-hunting all by themselves, but all the same, Weiss had never had a paying job before. The prospect, like all the other components of her current situation, was unfamiliar and exciting.

The nineteen-year-old couldn't help feeling adrift as she daintily bit into the warm, buttered croissant she had purchased. When she left this coffee house, she wouldn't have a car waiting to take her home. She would be free to walk out into a strange, new city filled with strange, new people. She would walk to her next destination - where that was, she did not yet know, but that didn't matter, because it was a destination she would choose for herself.

Mind wandering back to more practical thoughts, Weiss again considered that job she would be needing. She supposed it would be best to begin searching that very day. But what kind of job should she look for? She had interned for the Schnee Electric Company at her father's wish, back before she had relinquished her inherited CEO position to her younger brother, Whitley. She had a head for numbers, knew how to use computers decently well, and was very organized. Weiss was also fairly level-headed and well-spoken, so talking on the phone, for instance, running the appointment scheduling line for the Schnee Company's main office, and dealing with clients was no issue.

This all meant that interning was still very much an option, but the idea of applying at large companies or organizations seemed intimidating after her experience with the SEC. Clerking or applying as a secretary at a smaller business was a more appealing possibility. Honestly, if she ran out of options entirely, there was always a dispatch position at the local police station - big cities were always in need of 911 or officer dispatchers.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the bell on the double-doors to the shop jangled particularly loudly. A tan, burly man, likely in his thirties, shouldered into the shop, a messenger bag at his side containing a ream or so of goldenrod-colored papers, and, from the snapping sound Weiss detected each time he stepped, a container of thumb tacks. The man strode purposefully towards the far left wall of the room, halting before a sizeable bulletin board which Weiss had not noticed before. Selecting a sheet and a pinch of tacks from the bag at his side, he neatly attached the flyer to a free space on the board, smoothing the paper before turning to leave, though not before cocking his baseball cap to one of the baristas, with whom he was apparently familiar.

Weiss shifted in her seat, squinting at the new notice. She couldn't quite make out the bold text at the top, not from this distance. Promptly finishing her croissant and taking a few more sips of coffee, which had now cooled to a pleasant temperature, she stood, shouldering her bag and sidling surreptitiously up to the bulletin board. The golden paper now easily readable, she now saw that it read:

 **\- NOW HIRING -**

 **Xiao Long Auto Shop, 112 Tyeson Road**

 **Seeking a receptionist, previous experience preferred.**

 **In need of up to 3 garage hands, basic automobile mechanics required.**

 **Call 304-779-8163 to schedule an interview.**

Weiss gaped a moment at her fortune before hurriedly procuring her phone from her bag and snapping a photo of the advertisement. What luck, that an opportunity like this had simply been plopped into her lap. Stealing another satisfied sip from her to-go cup, Weiss pivoted on the toe of her wedge heels and strode confidently out of the coffee shop, hesitating only a moment on the sidewalk before remembering which direction to turn in order to find her way back to the hotel.

* * *

 ****A/N: Didn't mean to update so soon, but I just got too excited. X) Please do leave reviews and suggestions, as well as any questions you have. Hope you enjoy, and, since I've worked up quite the backlog of chapters instead of studying for my last exam, the next update should not be too far off. Geez, I'm dreading the day when this piece will lose its novelty in my mind, I started writing it three days ago, I'm barely beginning to build up the plot, and I'm still so excited it makes me jittery. As a side note, it would be a big help if you guys pointed out any typos for me. There shouldn't be too many, as I'm rather meticulous about reading and re-reading before I post, but, again, i've been pretty publish-button-happy with this fic. Thanks, all!**


	3. Just Visiting

**Chapter 3: Just Visiting**

"She's back in Patch 'cause she just wrapped up two years of art classes at Beacon," explained Sun. "And she's, like, a wicked artist. Seriously, you should see all the samples she has on the walls in there."

"Awesome," concluded Neptune.

"And the best part is, she's a faunus! I mean, so many people look down on faunus because lots of us don't go to college, since it's so expensive, but here's Miss Artist with a freshly-inked degree _and_ her own business at age twenty." Sun finished proudly, interlocking his fingers behind his head.

"Good for her." Neptune nodded sincerely. The pair slowed as they passed the florist's storefront, having just come from grabbing iced tea at the corner café at the end of the block.

"Okay, she's just in here," said Sun. "I'm so excited for you to meet her, so be cool. You're gonna be cool, right?"

"Dude." Neptune crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow, giving an obvious answer as he practically emitted pure, uncut coolness. Sun nodded, satisfied with the reassurance, and pushed through the door of Nightshade Ink House, the traditional silver bell above the door frame jingling cheerily.

"Hey, Blake." Sun smiled brightly, leaning an elbow against the counter which the black-haired woman stood behind. Her left ear, a pointed velvety perfection nestled amongst her long, wavy locks, twitched twice.

"Hi, Sun," Blake replied in her deep, slightly breathy tone as she came around from behind the counter, voice a few pitches flat.

"So." Sun turned so as to remain facing her as she moved, gesturing to his ocean-haired companion. "This is the guy I was telling you about."

"Neptune Vasilias." The said man extended a hand, smiling politely. "It's nice to meet you, Blake. Sun speaks very highly of you."

Blake shook it, allowing one corner of her mouth to turn up just enough to be courteous. "The same to you. Sun mentioned that you wanted to see some of the ink examples I have up in the shop."

"Absolutely." Neptune nodded, glancing back at Sun, who beamed with approval. Blake led them around an extended wall to the larger area in back of the shop. There was a series of leather-padded chairs, the likes of which you might find in a salon or similar establishment, and similarly-styled swiveling stools for the attending artist to perch themselves. Each pair of chairs had a simple black caddy with hand-painted purple deco art, meant to hold all the tools involved with the application of a tattoo.

The walls, constructed of sturdy brick, were painted over with a simple white, but they were anything but plain. In fact, it could easily be argued that they were the space's best feature, an opinion Sun would have backed avidly were it not for the marginally lovelier lady in front of him. Pieces of cardstock and laminated posters, large and small, coated the tall walls. The art was varied in color scheme, content, intricacy, and style, the one stark similarity being a small signature in the bottom right-hand corner of each piece.

"Did you draw all of these?" Neptune inquired, turning on the spot as he tried to take it all in with a craned neck.

Blake nodded. "Most of them by hand, some of the more recent ones digitally. A lot are from the portfolio I built up while I was at school."

"Incredible. You're very talented."

"See, told you she was an ink goddess."

Sun, like Neptune, was too busy admiring the artwork (other than the cat faunus) in the room, so he could not have confirmed if Blake did indeed blush slightly at his comment, but this is a widely-held belief. As the two young men finished absorbing all the impressive show of the tattoo artist's skill, Blake recovered, clearing her throat.

"So, Neptune, what brings you to Patch City?"

"Oh, I'm, uh, just visiting…" He fumbled slightly, scratching his neck.

"Actually, he's looking into moving out here." Sun jumped in, saving the day. He knew pretty well how his friend felt about the topic. "Know any good part-time job offers around the Menagerie Platform?" he asked Blake. She turned to the blue-haired fellow.

"Well, are you any good at drawing?"

Neptune shrugged, chuckling. "I couldn't sketch a daisy to save my life."

"Ah, then I'm afraid I can't help you," admitted Blake.

"Excuse me a moment, but could you direct me to the washroom?" Neptune asked. Blake pointed further back into the shop, gesturing to a corner beyond which must have been her public-access bathroom. Neptune thanked her, slipping away to freshen up, briefly.

"So, what do you think?" questioned Sun, turning his attentions back to the lovely cat lady. That is, the lady who happened to be a cat faunus, not a crazy woman who owned a few too many feline companions. "Intellectual, right?"

"He does have impeccable manners," Blake offered.

"So, I was wondering, do you have any?"

"Huh?"

"Tattoos."

A hum slipped from her throat, and the corner of her mouth twinged into a small smile. "Fewer than you'd think."

Sun shifted to lean back against another counter, this one having shelves which housed binders of still more design samples. "Did you do them yourself, or have them done by someone else?"

"Two of them are mine," the young woman disclosed, brushing a few stray strands of hair behind her (human) ear. "The last one, a friend did for me. It's on my shoulder blade, so I couldn't exactly draw it myself."

"Can I see?" Sun asked in his characteristic sincere manner. He wasn't trying to be forward, just genuinely curious. Blake hesitated a moment, then shrugged.

"Sure." Turning so that her back faced him, Blake shrugged off the left strap of her tank top. Sun held the fabric away from her skin so he could see, careful not to brush against her so as not to make anyone uncomfortable. Sure enough, centered perfectly on the back of her pale shoulder, was a dark purple tattoo in the likeness of a nightshade flower, rimmed delicately with black ink. Some small, simple scrolling adorned the base of the design, serving as the beginnings of the plant's leaf and stem. After gently replacing the shifted shirt, Sun stepped back again as Blake turned to face him once more.

"That's so neat! Isn't that the logo for the shop?"

Blake nodded, rubbing the top of her shoulder absentmindedly. "It's my family's insignia. My parents decided to turn it into the logo when they opened this place."

"How long ago was that?" Neptune had returned, leaping seamlessly back into the conversation.

"About thirty years ago," Blake explained. "They established it very soon after moving to Patch, well before I was born. I grew up in the apartment upstairs."

"Do your parents live here, too?" said Neptune.

"Not at the moment, they're on a fishing trip off the east coast of Atlas. Celebrating a well-deserved retirement. Business has been slow around here since I left for Beacon, but without the two of them working here full-time, I'll have to root around for some more employees once things pick back up."

Sun nodded, and Neptune glanced up from his watch. "Well, this has been a pleasant encounter, but I should really head back to my hotel before they stop serving dinner." He offered his hand once more. "It was great to learn about your business, Blake."

"Thank you, I'm glad we had the opportunity to meet." They shook hands one last time.

"Hey, Nep, do you want me to walk you back?" Sun asked as his friend headed toward the door.

"Nah, I'll call a cab. You guys have a good night." The man waved before turning down the walk. The door closed with another shimmy of the bell.

Sun turned back to his neighbor, shrugging slightly as he slid his hands into the hole-filled pockets of faded jeans. "Well, do you need anything?"

Blake shook her head, glancing down at her arms, which were crossed over her chest. Sun mirrored Neptune, striding to the door. "If you want some company over here, just stick your head out the door and give a holler." The bell tinkled as the young man nudged the door open with his foot.

"Sun?" He glanced back over his shoulder at the call. "Thanks for coming by."

Sun beamed, hanging a right towards his own shop as the door shut gently behind him.

* * *

 ****A/N: Hey all, back with another. Chapter 3 is our first good taste of the BlackSun fluff, and the plot is progressing at a fairly comfortable rate. I've got a backlog of two more chapter, and I think I'll be updating about once a week, just to make sure that as my writing rate slows I don't suddenly run out of steam and refrain from posting for months at a time. We all know how that feels. But anyways, yes! Read on, and, as always, make me aware of your thoughts via leaving a review. Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season, and that you all are able to be with your families, and have good food and a warm house to enjoy. See you (hopefully) next week.**


	4. Sunny Dragon

**Chapter 4: Sunny Dragon**

Weiss threw her phone down onto the bed as the call ended, the device bouncing a few inches in the air after impact. The girl fist-pumped with an intense passion, and quite uncharacteristically.

"Yes!" she hissed ecstatically. It was Thursday morning, the day after she had seen the notice for Xiao Long Auto Shop. Weiss had decided to put off attempting to schedule an appointment immediately, which had given her time to put together a resume and select an outfit for the occasion. What with the fabulous streak of good fortune she'd been experiencing, the man who answered the phone was actually able to see her that very afternoon.

Weiss let her body fall back on the the plush comforter, allowing herself to linger in the moment. She was too excited to be nervous. She had just procured her very first job interview! Oh, if her family could see her now. It felt incomparably wonderful to receive affirmation that her father had been wrong. She wasn't nothing without her name. The real truth was that Weiss' name was nothing without her.

* * *

The young Xiao Long grunted slightly as she tried to remove the loose bolt from a tight spot between two engine pieces. The process took a special touch: a strong enough grip to remove the piece, but controlled enough to keep the force from snapping the item, or worse, damaging another part of the machine. The bolt was freed with a satisfying pang, and Yang straightened, setting down the offending piece of hardware on tray in her toolbox to keep it from rolling away. After seeing that the bolt was back with its brothers, Yang stretched, clasping her hands together behind her back and rolling her shoulders, stiff from leaning over the hood of the car for so long.

Unlike the abandoned and refuse cars they kept in the back lot, 'junkheaps', as she affectionately called them, this car was one belonging to a client that needed a tune up. While it was cars like these that made the real money for the business, Yang's favorite past time, ever since she was twelve, was to pour a glass of iced tea and sit in the garage, fixing up an old automobile that the previous owner had thrown away, declaring it would never work again. Sometimes they were right - it was certain that Yang couldn't get every junkheap that came through the shop fully functioning again. In that case, any possibly-usable parts were removed, and the rest was sold for scrap metal. But, even with all the effort it took for scant payoff, Yang loved the sound of the engine turning over and the dashboard humming to life.

Yang lowered herself to the concrete floor of the garage, grabbing a slightly-grimy hand towel that was hanging from the corner of her toolbox. The young woman had gotten into the habit of keeping such a towel near her while she worked, since her prosthetic arm, as advanced as it was, could be touchy if it got too gunked up with grease and other unpleasant materials which were involved with automobile-tinkering. Siphoning off most of the substance, she sighed.

As much as she loved working in her dad's auto shop, things just weren't the same since the accident. Thanks to her new arm, she was still able to spar at the gym, but the same gift that had allowed her life to go as closely back to normal as was feasible was the thing which prevented her from ever boxing or wrestling competitively again. That meant no scholarships, no career, no championships. Just a blue-collar job that offered security, a livable salary, and not much else. She was 21 and already at a dead end.

Yang's brooding was hampered by a shadow cast across the floor as someone blocked the warm afternoon sun. A patron had entered through the open garage door instead of the door in the front of the building which led directly to the offices, a common mistake. Glancing up, she saw a petite girl, paleness accentuated by her long, shockingly-white hair. From the lack of a car, neatly-pressed skirt, dainty hands, and well-fitting heels, Yang easily deduced why she was there.

"Applicant for the receptionist gig?" Yang inquired, standing. The other nodded.

"Weiss Schnee, I have an interview this afternoon."

"Good to meet you, Weiss. I'm Yang, the only mechanic we have right now."

Noticing the grease on Yang's hand, she refrained from offering to shake it, instead giving a polite bob of her head. Yang gathered that it wasn't the idea of dirty hands, but more the knowledge that the shake would be declined because of them, that kept the girl from extending her hand, and she was grateful for it. This potential employee obviously knew her way around social pleasantries, which would make her a strong candidate for the position. Not that there was much competition; Miss Schnee was the only interested party so far, and her rapid response to the flyer as well as inherent keenness practically guaranteed her the job.

Yang gestured to her left, where a freshly-painted white door stood in the wall. "The office is over there, my dad should be at the desk to the right. He'll take care of your interview. Good luck."

"Thank you." The girl nodded once more, turning and advancing toward the pointed destination. Yang directed her attention back to the work she was wrapping up. The Schnee character seemed nice enough, from their limited interactions, and it would be nice to have more people around the shop, especially once applicants for the mechanic positions began to crop up. Maybe training new employees would help distract Yang from her appendage-centered sorrows.

* * *

 ****A/N: Chapter 4 is armed and ready. Back with some Yang PoV for everyone, merry Christmas! Paving the way for more of the classic Xiao Long angst in future chapters, as well as exposition on how she lost her arm. Not much else to say, this was kind of a short one. The next half-dozen-or-so chapters might seem uninteresting or even a little forced (be assured that I'm constantly editing/revising to make everything flow better, as well as struggling to be patient with the storyline and not rush things along), but I promise that once it gets past this introductory material, you will get what you came for and more. With that, I leave you to open your presents and enjoy some family time. See you guys next week.**


	5. Basic Automobile Mechanics Required

**Chapter 5: Basic Automobile Mechanics Required**

"Let's see…"

"Sun, c'mon, put it down. I told you, I'm just visiting."

The monkey faunus shrugged, selecting a red marker from the cup of utensils on the desk and folding the newspaper along its crease. "That's not the tune you were singing when you called me last week."

Neptune groaned, as if beginning to argue, but he didn't follow through. Sun spun around in the motel room's desk chair, crossing his arms. "Seriously, man, what's up with you? Did you have another panic attack?"

" _No._ " The other insisted. "Yes...kind of? I don't know!" Neptune ceased his incessant pacing by throwing himself face down onto the mattress. "I don't wanna do this anymore," he whined, more to himself than anything, the sentence quite muffled by the white motel comforter. What was he doing in Patch, really? After a moment, he heard Sun rise from the chair and felt his friend's hand clap gently onto his shoulder.

"Nep, you know you can talk to me."

The 'bluenet', as his mother tagged him due to his brown-dyed-aqua hair, sighed, face still in a physical relationship with the bed. "Ever since the acceptance letter - "

"Buddy, I love ya, but you've got to sit up if you want me to understand a single word you're saying."

Neptune huffed in annoyance, but complied, slouching into a seated position next to his friend. "Ever since the acceptance letter to Haven, things just haven't felt right," he began. "I mean, everything was all planned out: the school, the apartment, the internship, the career. All of it set up so I could be an accountant for thirty years and then retire to the waterfront with plenty of money squirreled away."

"So, what changed?" asked Sun.

"I don't know," Neptune struggled, shifting his seat a few times. "I just - I guess I got to thinking 'well, what if I don't want to be an accountant?' and then I realized, wait, what if? With all the planning I've put into this whole deal, years of planning, I don't _have_ a plan for anything else. So, I felt like, if I didn't want to be an accountant after all, I still _had_ to go through with it, because I didn't have a plan for things not going according to plan."

He sighed, pressing his palms against his closed eyes, and the two men were silent for a moment.

"Sounds like all this wasn't part of your plan, either, huh?"

"Nope."

Sun adjusted his seat to face his friend. "Well, screw the plan."

Neptune glanced up, squinting. "What?"

"Screw the plan. I mean, you've already taken a detour, and you're right. Maybe you don't want to be an accountant. Maybe you have no idea what you want to be." Sun grasped Neptune's shoulder once again. "But you don't have to. All you need to know right now is where you're going to live and how you're going to feed yourself. That's not too hard, is it?"

"What?" Neptune cried. "Yes! Yes, that is plenty hard!"

"Man, come on." Sun stood, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. He retrieved the newspaper from the desk, flipping around a bit before finding the page he wanted. "Look, apartments galore at a perfectly reasonable price. Rent is dirt cheap once you hit the Menagerie Platform. I bet there are a ton of job offers up on the bulletin board at - " Sun paused, then made a face, like he had just remembered he left a casserole in the oven.

"The bulletin board where?" asked Neptune, standing as well and hesitating before giving into pacing again.

"I got it!" Sun's strange expression broke into his usual grin. "Y'know how I used to live uptown, before I had to move back here to run the florist?"

"Yeah..." Neptune did not see how this was relevant to the existential crisis at hand.

"I had to quit my old job," Sun explained. "Which was a shame, really, I liked it a lot. But anyway, my point is that their staff is really small now, and I got word that they're hiring again."

Neptune furrowed his brow, intrigued. "What was your old job, exactly?"

"Mechanic at Xiao Long Auto Shop, on Tyeson Road."

"Mechanic? Sun, I can't get people to pay me to fix cars!"

"Why not? You and me would go tinker with cars with your uncle all the time."

"Yeah, over the summer, with supervision and guidance, on hunks of scrap metal that never actually worked properly," insisted Neptune. Sun rolled his eyes.

"Nep."

"What."

"Do you know how an engine works?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know how the heating and cooling systems work?"

"Uh-huh."

"Do you know what spark plugs and shock absorbers are? Do you know how to use a carjack or how to change a tire?"

"Well, yes, but - "

"Do you know not to drink antifreeze?"

"Of course!"

"Then you're practically hired!" laughed Sun. "Look, you don't need any formal experience to apply, Taiyang is perfectly willing to show people the ropes, he did with me. It's very newbie-friendly. And this is a great way for you to keep busy while you're figuring things out."

"Here?" questioned Neptune, still unsure of all this.

"Why not here?" shrugged Sun. "You have friends here. Opportunity. What, is there someplace else in Vale you've got in mind? Pollux? Erranto?"

Neptune scratched his arm, sheepish. "No."

"Then you're good to go." The blond clapped him gently on the back, picking up a cellphone from where it sat on the desk and handing it to the other. "Now, let me read off Tai's number for you, and you can schedule that interview."

"Wait! I need to - but - " Neptune protested. He needed time to prepare! He couldn't just put a plan into action a mere three minutes after formulating it. Unfortunately, Sun was already reading off the number from his contacts, and Neptune fumbling with the keypad, wishing his friend would wipe that disgustingly amused grin off of his face.

* * *

 ****A/N: Happy New Year! I elected to upload a day early, as I was working wit my docs anyway. I've compiled a backlog extending to Chapter 11, so it's all I can do to restrain myself from uploading three or four chapters at once, since the story had progressed a lot more in my perspective than that of a reader. However, I'm experienced enough with my category 5 hurricane of a self to know that there will soon come a day when I'll be sorrowfully behind schedule on writing and will need those extra, unposted chapters to fall back on in order to maintain my update schedule in spite of a lack of new content. So, until next week, enjoy Chapter 5.**


	6. First Day, Part 1

**Chapter 6: First Day, Part 1**

She drew in a deep breath, smoothing the front of her skirt for what might have been the eighth time in the past few minutes. It was Monday morning, and Weiss was standing before the large bathroom mirror in her motel room, spending a minute on the last few touches. Tucking in her blouse, rubbing a smudge of dirt off of the supple white leather of her shoes, using a finely-filed fingernail to swipe away a stray fleck of dried mascara from her undereye. She reached up to adjust her ponytail, but stopped herself. Her hair was perfect, she had spent a half-hour ensuring this fact.

With another reassuring puff of air through her subtly-lined lips, which bore a tasteful shade of light pink, Weiss plucked her bag off of the counter next to the sink, nestled amongst scattered makeup brushes and small plastic pans of eyeshadow. Turning to open the room door, the muffled sound of her shoes as she walked down the hall gave Weiss a brisk and confident air. This was increased by the satisfying sound they made once she reached the tile of the lobby, and then the cement sidewalk outside the revolving glass doors. Weiss couldn't drive, not because she did not know how, but simply because she had no vehicle in order to do so. The Xiao Long Autoshop, fortunately, was only just over a mile from the motel, the way mostly compiled of sidewalks, and the pleasant weather made the distance seem much more bearable.

Stepping out from under the shade of the building's awning and into the early morning sun, Weiss was startled by the sound of someone shouting her name. Spinning on a dime, she tried to locate where the greeting had come from. Her eyes fell quickly on a sight that was rather hard to miss: a vibrant motorbike, painted in black, orange, and yellow streaks. Straddled atop the bike was a well-muscled figure, wavy blonde hair loose around her shoulders and a visored helmet tucked beneath her arm.

"Yang?" Weiss approached tentatively with a befuddled expression. She recognized the young woman as her new co-worker.

"The one and only." The blonde smiled winningly. "Heard from my dad that you don't have a car, and I didn't think you should have to walk on your first day."

"That's...very kind of you," Weiss smiled, still slightly confused, and quite flustered at the unexpected show of generosity from a person she hardly knew. Not knowing what else to say, Weiss shifted her attentions to the vehicle itself. She had never ridden a motorcycle before, and the mental image of Weiss Schnee, former heiress to the Schnee Electric Company, speeding along on a motorcycle with her snow-white ponytail waving behind her made the girl stifle a laugh.

Yang twisted around, pulling up a piece of the seat to reveal a small storage compartment and selecting a second helmet from the space. She handed it to Weiss. Receiving it, she hesitated slightly, offering up a thought for her well-combed hair before moving to place it on her head with an inward sigh.

"Oh, wait a sec." Yang held up a gloved finger, one that belonged to the hand which Weiss recalled was actually a prosthetic. Her other hand, this one fully flesh and ungloved, reached into a cross-body bag that rested at the woman's hip, pulling out a large, sunflower-yellow handkerchief. This was gifted to Weiss' other hand.

"You can tie it over your hair, if you want. It works pretty well to prevent helmet hair."

"How clever, thank you." Weiss set the helmet gently on the curb, securing the cloth other her head like Yang had , with only a moment's tentative hesitation, Weiss pulled on the helmet, gently maneuvering it over her ponytail.

Yang grinned. "Looks good on you. Well, hop on."

Weiss nodded, placing her right foot on the narrow platform and mounting the bike about as gracefully as one could in two-inch wedges. Yang's shoulders shook slightly as she chuckled, making her thick blonde waves shift back and forth.

"You might want to hold on."

Pausing momentarily for a deep breath, Weiss hung her purse on the crook of her elbow, then slid forward on the seat, securing her arms around Yang's waist. No sooner than Weiss had sighed out a breath did Yang kick off of the asphalt, the motorcycle rocketing forward with a jolt. Weiss gaped at the sudden acceleration, grip tightening around the driver. After a minute or so, Yang was likely convinced that there was an overly-cuddly boa constrictor seated behind her, but the girl did not slacken her hold.

Though still slightly terrified at the speed which they had reached combined with the open-air nature of the mode of transportation, Weiss found herself enjoying the trip much more so than if she were currently strolling down the sidewalk. The way Yang leaned into the turns and eased between cars as she switched lanes like it was no problem showcased a good deal of experience on the motorcycle. Although there was a persistent nervous pit in her stomach, Weiss quickly discovered that she was enjoying herself immensely.

Soon, though not quite soon enough for the still-startled petite passenger, the select destination came into view on their right. Yang slowed considerably as she left the main road, bringing them to a stop as she parked the bike against the side of the garage. Simultaneously removing their helmets, the ladies deboarded. Weiss returned the borrowed head and hair protection to Yang, and, sure enough, her hair was practically no worse for wear.

"Thank you again for the ride." Weiss glanced at the open garage door, a bit unsure of herself. "You really didn't have to do that."

"Hey, anytime." Yang shrugged, shedding her duster and heading further into the garage. "You can head on into the office, Tai will show you your desk and everything. Good luck."

Weiss nodded in affirmation, admittedly more to herself than Yang, opening the white door before she could pause again. The main office space and connecting lobby were empty, and Weiss stepped in quietly, letting the door fall closed behind her. She was just about to wonder what she should do next when a door to her left, presumably leading to smaller office spaces in the back of the building, opened, revealing her new employer with a box full of files in arm. He swiftly noticed her presence, and smiled warmly.

"Hey, Weiss. Yang pick you up?"

Weiss nodded, again expressing her gratitude at his daughter's generosity. Taiyang set the box down in the corner in order to give Weiss a quick tour of the space. There were two offices in the back, the smaller one for him and the larger one for storage, a bathroom, and a breakroom. Coming back to the adjoining main office and lobby, Taiyang gestured to the front desk.

"This'll be yours. I cleaned it out over the weekend, so you can keep anything you might need here, for your use as long as you're working here. This is where you'll receive clients who come to schedule or to pick up their cars. You'll also be in charge of making sure the waiting area is in order every morning. At the end of the week, we all spend an extra hour to clean the garage and the offices. Now, did you bring that paperwork I gave you?"

Procuring the desired file folder from her bag, Weiss confirmed that she had signed the necessary forms and had read through the personnel manual, as well as her general job description and set paycheck. Taiyang spent the next hour and a half teaching her how schedule both walk-in and phone appointments, how to use the computer and the way their filing and security systems functioned. Promising he would go over any minor details throughout the coming week as they became important, he excused himself in order to go help Yang in the garage. They had a new mechanic starting that day, and he had to check in on how the training was progressing.

Left to her own devices, Weiss seated herself at her new desk. It really was completely bare, not a single paper clip or piece of crumpled Scotch tape left in the wake of its previous inhabitant. Sifting through her purse for a moment, Weiss selected a pad of paper and a ballpoint pen so that she could compile a list of the basic office supplies she would need to purchase. Tape and a dispenser, one new pack of both pens and pencils, a cup to hold them in, a stapler, paper and binder clips, and some file folders and envelopes, to begin with.

With a satisfied click of her pen, Weiss placed her note back in her purse just in time for the phone, one of the only items on the desk save the computer monitor and keyboard, to ring with a purring trill. Swallowing a momentary flare of panic, Weiss picked up the phone, a smile sliding onto her face. She leaned her elbows against the desk, crossing her left leg over her right.

"You've reached Xiao Long Auto Shop, how may I help you today?"

* * *

 ****A/N: It has occurred to me that if I only update once a week, with the length I intend to make this story, it will take a needlessly long time for the story to progress and for new content to reach readers, especially since I write relatively short chapters, only about 1,000 words each. And so, without further ado, scratch everything I said in the A/N of my update yesterday. I will update this story whenever I damn well please, and right now, I am both able and eager to update more frequently than once a week. So here you are, two more chapters. Everyone have a great start to your week and year.**


	7. First Day, Part 2

**Chapter 7: First Day, Part 2**

He drew in a deep breath, adjusting the zipper on his jacket for what must have been the eighth time in the past few minutes. He still hadn't decided whether to keep it unzipped, fully zipped, halfway, three-quarters, one-quarter, but a glance at his wristwatch coaxed a startled yelp from his throat as Neptune realized he did not have time for frivolities. He began his first day of work in fifteen minutes, and he still hadn't brushed his teeth. The young man had been too nervous to eat anything but a muffin from the limited but convenient breakfast buffet the motel offered, but it was a lemon poppyseed one, so he was likely better off with a bit of toothpaste before he left.

Rinsing his mouth and resisting the urge to leave his jacket behind altogether, Neptune skipped the elevator and instead dashed down the stairwell, deciding to try and vanquish his jitters by getting his heart rate up. Gripping the handle of the door to facilitate his turn, he swung into the motel parking lot, fumbling with the keys in his pocket as he swiftly unlocked the bike lock around his scooter, then switched to the other key on the ring, this one used to start up his ride.

Neptune revved the engine and angled himself toward the lane that led into the main street before kicking off with the balls of his feet, work boots scuffling on the sun-warmed asphalt. The light was green, the breeze was against him, and he momentarily surrendered one hand from the handlebar to tug his goggles over his eyes. He was thankful that Sun had taken the time to show him the fastest way there when he accompanied the man to his interview, partially to act as a recommendation for the spot and partially to say hello to Yang and taiyang, not having seen them since he'd moved back to Menagerie. If it weren't for his friend's advanced guidance, Neptune likely would've made enough wrong turns to make himself late for his first day on the job.

Soon enough, he reached the auto shop, parking his scooter against the far wall beside a motorcycle which assumed belonged either to Taiyang or his daughter, the stand-alone garage hand; until Neptune came in, that was. He heard a metallic clang behind him, turning to see the said daughter popping the hood of a navy blue sedan, likely belonging to one of the young, carseat-lugging, McDonald's-consuming families that occupied the east end. As she righted herself, moving to tie back her long hair, Neptune noticed her right hand was as mechanic as the car she was working on, a gunmetal-grey prosthetic that included her hand, forearm, all the way past her elbow. The woman, turned, noticing his presence as she finished tying off her ponytail.

"You're Neptune?" she asked, resting her metal hand on her hip. He nodded haltingly, struggling a moment to switch his brain back into conversation mode. "Yang Xiao Long, senior mechanic. It'll be good to have another set of hands around this place, glad you got the job. Now, I'm assuming you know your way pretty well around a car, but my dad and I will be perfectly willing to teach you anything you don't already know. It'll be more of a touch-and-go experience around here, so just give a holler if you have a question about anything while working with a car. And I mean it when I say there are no stupid questions here, better you ask me or Tai than break something we have to pay for. Got all that?"

He replied with a smooth, "You know it." Neptune shrugged off his jacket and draped it across the seat of his scooter, satisfied that he was back in the social interaction groove. Yang gave him a quick rundown of the building's layout and where everything was, then had him help her work on cleaning under the hood of the car she had out, as well as bringing it around back to be washed inside and out. After the first hour or so, clients began driving in for oil changes, which Neptune was instructed to take care of on his own while Yang proceeded with the detailing. Once he had finished with two of the three cars lined up, his new boss appeared from the office area, having wrapped up training the new receptionist, whom Neptune had yet to meet, to speak to Yang.

Eventually, Taiyang did greet Neptune, having previously met him at his interview, though the conversation was intentionally fleeting in order to allow him to focus on the task at hand. Neptune handled the drive-in line for minor touch-ups for the next few hours, only having to check in with Yang periodically for certain situations. Other than that, banter was limited. Once the line had been extinguished, Taiyang came out to announce a break for lunch. Neptune followed Yang, who showed him the office spaces and breakroom. A petite, pale girl who looked fresh out of high school greeted them, presumably the novice receptionist.

"Weiss Schnee, pleasure to meet you." She extended a hand, which Neptune shook it, contributing his own name. The smaller girl seemed much more delicately refined than the blonde garage hand, but she shook firmly, and Neptune had no doubt that this character was not a priss nor a pushover.

The breakroom wasn't anything too fancy; two round tables with folding chairs arranged around them, plus a series of cabinets installed over a counter and sink, with a well-worn refrigerator and microwave. The walls were painted a soft, baby blue hue in contrast to the green-beige walls of the offices, an attempt to brighten the space where the workers spent their downtime.

The three seated themselves, Taiyang having elected to eat lunch at the desk in case any clients dropped a line or stopped by in person. Weiss retrieved a sack lunch she had brought, a crisp brown bag with her name written neatly in black marker towards the top. Opening the top door to the freezer, Yang pulled out a box of shrimp potstickers and tore through the cardboard, ripping open the plastic bag with her teeth before arranging the treats on a paper plate and sliding them into the microwave. Neptune hesitantly drew his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans.

"You guys got a vending machine around here?" he asked the ladies.

Weiss raised a critical eyebrow, lips poised somewhere between pursed and smirking. "You didn't pack a lunch?"

Neptune shrugged, attempting to be as sheepishly endearing as possible in order to obtain the girls' mercy. "Well, no."

Yang chuckled good-naturedly. "Yeah, we've got snacks and soda over by the bathroom, if that'll sustain you. Next time, stock the fridge or bring something with you."

"Right." Neptune proceeded to the vending machines, right where Yang had said they were, and, with just a shade of disappointment in his rumbling stomach, purchased a bag of chips and a water, deciding at the last minute to splurge on a tiny package of beef jerky so that he might glean some actual nutrition from the meal.

Rejoining the women and doing his best to keep a stiff upper lip in the face of their playful teasing, he joined the prate. The topics were mostly getting-to-know-you, though subtly so: where you were from, what brought you to Patch, what kind of job or hobby you'd had before, what kind of food you liked.

Though they only had forty minutes before Yang glanced at her phone screen and peppily ordered everyone back to work, Neptune quickly found himself enjoying the presence of his new acquaintances. Both were witty, Yang in the sunny, punny sense, and Weiss being more wry and dry. Each was attractive and friendly in their own right, and Neptune silently thanked Sun for pointing him in this direction. Though it certainly wasn't as academically demanding as accounting, working at the Xiao Long Auto Shop was engaging, even fun.

As he pumped the carjack to rotate yet another set of tires, Neptune allowed himself to daydream about what his days would look like over the coming summer.

* * *

 ****A/N: Some of you may have noticed I increased the rating of this story to T, no reason for alarm. It wasn't changed because I believe it really needed to be, more as a precaution. There will be some cursing (though I intend to keep it very mild) and suggestive flirting. As romance between certain characters develops, some more physical aspects of relationships will be portrayed, as well. No, this story does not and will not ever contain sexually explicit content, but I do want to ensure that any younger readers aren't caught off guard. All in all, I wasn't confident that every reader, as well as moderators, would agree that K+ is an appropriate rating, and so I changed it just to be sure. Hope everyone enjoyed this unexpected double-update. Happy 2018!**


	8. Guilty All The Same

**Chapter 8: Guilty All The Same**

Pausing the monotone buzz that the motorized needle emitted, Blake brushed a section of hair out of her reflective amber eyes. After securing the strands behind her ear, she returned to the piece she was working on: a simple script job, the words 'semper fi' scrolled in graceful cursive. The customer, a quiet, cocoa-skinned woman, was donning the mark in celebration of her two-year anniversary of enlisting in the Vale Navy as a marine. The job was quickly over, and the woman paid for the service, including a generous tip.

Blake double-checked and straightened the register as the customer left. The sky outside was darkening as the sunset began, a serene sight that the young woman had taken for granted when she had moved to the Beacon campus. She sighed, recording a few items onto the notepad shopping list she kept handy on the counter, adding some foods which she had remembered on the fly. Her furry ears perked as the doorbell danced, and she glanced up in anticipation of another customer. The person in the doorway sent the ebony-haired beauty's heart to her stomach.

"Hello, Blake." Her familiar enunciation paired with depth that matched a gentle river, the new-comer greeted her old friend.

"What are you doing here?" Blake managed to demand, hands already fidgeting against her stomach. The redhead sighed.

"I'd hoped a friend would get a better welcome than that."

"You're not my friend, Ilia." The other recoiled at the cat faunus's words, brow furrowing in disappointment. "How did you find me?"

"Like it was hard." Ilia stepped further into the shop, running a finger along the surface of one of the end tables that stood in the waiting area. "You're a very private person, Blake, but at least a few of your closer friends knew where you grew up, what your parents did for a living. I've always known where to find you."

Blake tried to enforce her intent by making firm eye contact with the intruder, but failed after a few seconds, instead casting her glance to the floor. "Please leave."

"Blake." Ilia advanced further, resting a hand on the counter. Disappointment laced with hurt bled into her voice. "I...I came to apologize."

"I told you to leave." Blake spun on her toes, crossing her arms as she turned her back on the girl.

"Will you just hear me out?" She did not reply. "Blake, I - I'm sorry, okay? There's no other way to say it. The things I said to you were horrible and completely unfounded." Ilia continued haltingly, pausing in expectation of Blake's response. None came.

"You should know that I left, too. After what happened."

"You mean after someone _died_?" accused Blake. Ilia's features hardened.

"I can't believe you can say that to me with a straight face. What do you want me to say? That I was blind to what was actually going on, that I only saw what I wanted to? Because I did, okay? I was blind to it all, but so were you! You stayed too, you looked the other way just like I did, just like we all did!" Her voice rose in both volume and intensity as she went on. "Here I am, apologizing sincerely, and Queen Taurus can't even look me in the eye! You think you can lord it over the rest of us because you were the first to quit, but you're wrong, because you're just as guilty as all of us. You're just as guilty as Adam!"

Blake's eyes flared, and she spun back around, jaw open with intent to retort, but Ilia wouldn't let her. "Don't deny it! You only ever had eyes for him, always have and always will," she spat.

"Ilia!" Blake shouted, slamming her fist onto the countertop hard enough to send a painful jolt through her arm.

"I saw the way you looked at him. I…" Ilia brushed roughly at her eyes, her voice quiet once more. "I wanted you to look at _me_ that way."

Blake inhaled sharply, jaw tensed.

"But that was never going to happen. And it never will, if you can't even let me say sorry."

"I…" She began with a stutter. "I came home so I could leave all that behind me. Adam, you, everything. I'm trying to put things back together, okay? So just please go and don't come back here."

"Did it ever occur to you that I'm trying to make amends, too?" Ilia questioned, reaching across the counter to take Blake's hand. The other flinched, but didn't pull away, instead closing her eyes tightly, anything but looking at her friend's face again.

"I'm sorry, Blake. I'm really sorry." Her shoulders jumped, rising up against her neck as Ilia brushed a gentle parting kiss on Blake's left cheek. By the time she had opened her eyes, vision beginning to distort with tears that had only barely begun to form, Ilia's shadow was already sweeping out the door and into the now-mostly-fallen night. Blake drew in shuddering breaths, pressing her palms against the counter and locking her elbows to support her weight. She didn't look up again when the bell chimed once more, and didn't see Sun glance curiously back down the street at the girl with the maroon-red ponytail he had passed on the sidewalk just seconds before entering.

"Hey, Blake, what's - hey, are you okay?" His greeting immediately fell to worry, and he hurried to stand behind the counter when she did not acknowledge him. "Blake?"

He tapped her upper arm gently, fingers warm against her bare skin. "Blake, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

The counter and cash register all swirled into a blur as hot tears finally spilled from Blake's squinted eyes. She vaguely processed placing her forehead against Sun's shoulder, his arms securing her in a hug as the sobs set in, sharp and shuddering. Sun set his chin gently between her ears, which had curled forward against her head. He stood there with her, content to wait out the tears, and, fortunately for the despairing cat, did not mind even in the slightest that she was drenching his right sleeve with tears and snot. And so Blake was free to cry as much as her heart desired.

* * *

 ****A/N: Whew, that was a dramatic one. Worry not, this is a mere warm-up lap compared to the things to come. ;) Sorry we haven't had a Blake chapter in a while. Other than that, not much else to say. I tried uploading this chapter yesterday, but there was an error, so I'm getting around to it today. I'll be uploading Chapter 9 right after I wrap up this A/N, just to tide everyone over, myself included. Made a huge breakthrough today while in the car staring out the window concerning where I want the plot to go...let's just say that if the adrenaline junkies hold out through all the fluff and romance, I promise I'll have some worth-while action and actual plot conflict for you down the road. Read, critique, drop a review if you've got the time, maybe a little bit of clicky-click action and share this fic with a pal. You know the drill. Hope you all have an enjoyable and safe weekend.**


	9. Bell Curve

**Chapter 9: Bell Curve**

Yang had driven Weiss back to the motel at the end of the work day, as well. The snow-haired girl seemed to be adjusting to the feel of Bumblebee very quickly, though it was pretty adorable, how her legs still shook when she got off.

"Well, see you tomorrow," Yang had said. "Do you still want to leave around 8:00? We can push it back to 8:30, since the bike is faster."

Weiss had immediately become flustered, fumbling with her purse. "Oh, I don't expect you to drive me to work every day. I can walk until I get a car, really."

Yang giggled good-naturedly at her friend's pink-tinted cheeks. "Well, we've got a couple sturdy ones to choose from at the shop. I work on the pieces that are thrown away in my free time." She shrugged. "Really, it's no problem. You wouldn't want me to get lonely, right?"

Weiss looked as if she wanted to protest, but couldn't construct a reasonable argument just then. Yang took the opportunity to rev the engine, preparing to drive off while the younger girl struggled for retorting words.

"Well, see you tomorrow. 8:30, don't be late!" The blonde saluted with a smile as the light down the street flashed green, and swiftly drove away, hanging a left and leaving the still-silent Weiss frowning in annoyance on the curb, as if wondering why making new friends had to be so irritating.

* * *

She'd never admit it, but, the truth of it was that Yang _was_ lonely. Despite craving the support of her father and sister after the accident, accompaniment which they were greatly willing to provide, it had felt like all she could do was push them away. This statement truly was merely scraping the surface of the mental repercussions of the car crash, but the struggle hadn't been all in her head. There was the physical recovery, too.

Yang couldn't do simple, day-to-day tasks without difficulty, some not at all. Showering, tying up her hair, putting on pants, even writing her own name. It didn't help that her right arm had been her dominant one, and the foreign feeling of doing everything left-handed was overwhelming when combined with the sensation of having over half of her arm simply not there. Of course, the opposite effect was the phantom pains. Yang's doctor had told her that she fortunately had much less of an issue with phantom pains than the majority of amputees, but though the sensations were scant and mercifully weak, they were still very much unsettling and uncomfortable.

And then there was the accident itself. If it had all been hypothetical, just a projection of the imagination, Yang would've expected herself to take revenge. To go to any lengths to find closure, to pin the blame on anyone she could, even if it ended up being herself. But since waking up in the hospital, she wasn't bitter. She wasn't vengeful. She wasn't even hopeless. She was just numb.

* * *

Yang snorted at the sight, and, shockingly, Weiss joined in after a second or two (though assuredly in the most lady-like way manageable). Neptune had flushed red in the face, just enough to tint his olive-toned skin, but laughed as well, feebly grabbing at the napkin dispenser in the middle of the table. Weiss pushed it further across the table toward him, and Yang's chortling increased in volume.

The source of the young people's humor was a bright orange stain down the sleeve of Neptune's jacket, courtesy of a now half-empty bottle of orange juice tastefully blended with mango. The drink had been spilled when Neptune had fumbled with it after a mildly lewd comment from Yang concerning their previous conversation topic: motorbikes. Namely, Bumblebee and Salacia.

Weiss tried to muster enough breath to scold Yang for the untoward remark, though it was lost amongst the laughter. Yang dashed to the sink after a minute, wetting a paper towel and handing it to the man as the noise died down to amused giggles. She was a tease, but not a mean-hearted one.

Neptune accepted the gesture, shoulders still shivering with contained amusement. Taiyang, being the boss man who needed to assert authority every now and then, ducked his head into the breakroom in order to playfully snap at his employees to stop having so much fun and get back to work, which they obliging did.

It had been a week since Neptune and Weiss had started at the auto shop. It felt good to have more bodies in the building, even if they didn't interact much while they worked. Just the sound of Neptune grunting as he pumped the carjack, or the faint murmur of Weiss answering the telephone on the other side of the wall gave Yang a feeling she hadn't realized she actually felt until it was missing. This absence became apparent after Sun had to move downtown and Ruby shipped of to Haven College.

As she stood by Bumblebee, stretching her arms while Weiss tied a handkerchief around her ponytail, by now having obtained her own, Neptune wheeled Salacia to rest beside them.

"So, do the lovely ladies have any plans over the weekend?" inquired he.

"Before this conversation goes any further, the lovely ladies don't do threesomes." Yang smirked back. Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Oh, let him finish, Yang."

Neptune flashed a grin. "Nothing that forward, I'd at least take you to dinner first. Anyway, my pal Sun was planning to get together with another friend of his. Her name's Blake. I thought you guys could come along, too. We were going to see a movie, or something like that. Interested?"

Yang could practically smell Weiss' hesitance as it hit the air, and reacted immediately by elbowing her in the ribs. "Oh, c'mon, it'll be fun! You can meet Sun. _I'd_ love to come," she told Neptune. "When and where?"

"Friday after work. We're meeting up in front of Western Sun, so we can drive there together after we get off. Sun has his van for the shop, so we can either take our bikes or all ride with him to the cinema."

"Alrighty, then, it's a date." Yang nodded, slinging her left arm around Weiss, whose shoulders cringed away in annoyance from the pal-around gesture. "Can you believe it, Weiss? Social interaction!"

The three chatted a minute or so longer before mounting their rides. It turned out that Weiss and Neptune actually stayed at the same motel. The former still rode to and fro with Yang, as the blue-haired mechanic and pale receptionist left at different times in the morning, and Neptune often stopped by Sun's shop in the evening before heading back to his room. Though, even if these deviances weren't in place, Yang still would have insisted upon driving Weiss every day. She enjoyed the company, as well as the reason to wake up early in the morning. It had been a persistent habit of hers in the past, one that had been staggeringly difficult to reclaim after she had lost her arm.

Yang found herself grinning ear to ear as she drove away from the motel. It had been ages since she'd gone out with friends. And she didn't think she'd seen a movie in theatres since high school. The blonde was looking forward to the weekend for the first time in a long time.

* * *

 ****A/N: And there you have it, Chapter 9. You can look forward to a 2-parter for the cinema excursion, and then a double chapter following that in which we get some more shipping action, for any SeaDragon and BlackSun lovers. Have the recent-most Weiss and Yang chapters been a little Freezerburn-esque? Yes. Yes they have. In the show itself, Weiss and Yang don't get a lot of development together as pals until their V5 reunion. In this story, the two befriend earlier and more firmly than Blake/Yang or Blake/Weiss, even Ruby/Weiss, especially considering we don't even actually see Ruby until much, much later in the storyline. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm working on building a unique and playful friendship between the W and the Y of RWBY, and with them having a great dynamic in the first place and Yang being a hopeless and lonely tease, I can totally see Freezerburn fans strapping themselves in for some ship chapters. Unfortunately, there will be no Freezerburn in this particular story, though this doesn't mean I won't possibly place it in another fic in the future. So, if that is something you guys want to see, let me know by dropping a review for this chapter. With that said, you guys will hear from me some time next week. Again, have a good weekend.**


	10. Cinema, Part 1

**Chapter 10: Cinema, Part 1**

Pulling the brush through her long waves, Blake considered what to do with her hair. She wore it down most of the time because she was by no stretch of the imagination 'good with hair'. She could barely push it all up into a decent ponytail, much less curl it or braid it. So, loose and free it stayed.

Having already eaten a small sandwich she had slapped together to tide her over until dinner, Blake brushed her teeth and began on her makeup. Her skin tone had evened out considerably since her pimply teenaged years, so she only swiped a few drops of concealer onto her face. A smear of taupe pigment across her eyelids, a dusting of blush on her usually quite pale cheeks. Setting down the brush with a tap, Blake leaned her palms against the sink, staring into the vanity mirror.

She had no idea what had possessed her to agree to this. Perhaps she hadn't been fully invested in the conversation and just nodded and muttered compliance order to get Sun to stop talking, perhaps she had felt a tad guilty about drenching her well-meaning neighbor in tears with no explanation as to why she had been crying a veritable river. There was, of course, the idea that her loneliness had gotten the better of her and subconsciously jumped at the chance to go out and see a movie and make some friends. But Blake shooed the thought away before it was even fully formed, because that was ridiculous.

The last time Blake made friends, it hadn't ended so well. Blake didn't need new friends; it had been hard enough to leave the old ones behind. And she certainly didn't need Sun Wukong thinking she wanted his shoulder to cry on. Friends aside, the last time she had thrown herself at someone, it hadn't ended well, either. What Blake needed was to get on with her life and stop relying on others, because when that happened, one of two things occured: she got hurt, or they did. Sometimes both.

So she was going to go meet these people, and see this silly movie, and flash a smile, and make small talk until the night was over and she could go home, enjoy a chocolate bar and another chapter of her book, and then forget any of it ever happened and go to sleep. Alone. Then she would get up the next morning like always, continue to tactfully avoid her irritatingly talkative neighbor at all costs, and man her place of business dutifully. Alone. Because that was how Blake Belladonna liked it.

* * *

Yang Xiao Long. Blonde hair, muscled, tall. Weiss Schnee. White hair, dainty, short. Blake repeated the names in her head, fighting the mental pull of forgetfulness which would leave her completely blanking on their names by the end of the night. Though, it did help that there were only two to remember, and it was easy to match which name to which face. The two women were distinctly different. There was also Neptune, whom she remembered better, since she had spent a substantial amount of time in conversation with him when the first met.

The group of five had met outside the cinema, entering together. The boys stood in line to purchase the tickets, while Blake and Weiss went to buy snacks for everyone, Yang electing to duck into the washroom before the film began. It became quite clear quite quickly to Blake that Weiss had never been to the cinema before. The girl was unfamiliar with the classic notion of popcorn, candy, and soda always found at a movie theatre, and the menu boards mounted on the wall seemed to overwhelm her. Fortunately, the black-haired girl swiftly took over, ordering a bucket of popcorn, drinks for each party member, and placing a couple carefully selected boxes of sweets on the counter.

Weiss and Blake immediately realized the poor situation they had placed themselves in as they tried to balance all the fare in their arms, though Sun, Neptune, and Yang came to a well-timed rescue. Blake had no idea which film the boys had gotten tickets to, just following the others to the door with a sign that read 'HOUSE 7'. She surreptitiously seated herself at the end of the aisle, hoping to eliminate her chances of be seated next to Sun. The attempt was in vain.

"You seen the trailers for this?" he whispered, though it was more of a mutter in order to be heard over the previews that were playing. Blake shook her head.

"What movie are we watching?"

"Dancing in Dumonte. Half mystery genre, half feel-good/self-discovery genre, and, I'm told, a sprinkling of romance. I mean, most screenplays these days have something along those lines."

Blake nodded, pointedly keeping her attention on the big screen in an attempt to end the conversation. This, to her mild satisfaction, worked. The previews came to a close and the lights in the house dimmed until the space was lit only by the big screen. Opening credits rolled, and Blake leaned back in her seat, looking forward to when the music would fade and the lights would turn back on.

* * *

 ****A/N: Part 2 to be published soon. Have a great week :)**


	11. Cinema, Part 2

**Chapter 11: Cinema, Part 2**

Leaning her head back and relaxing her shoulders, Weiss found that the cushioned seats in the theatre were shockingly comfortable. She was seated between Yang and Neptune, something she was thankful for. This night was as full of foreign experiences as her enormous (was that really a medium-sized beverage?) paper cup of Dr. Pepper, and it was comforting to have the two people she knew in the group next to her.

Not that Sun or Blake was intimidating or unkind. The former seemed quite earnest and sincere, if a bit chatty. Blake was much more reserved in comparison, though not without her own qualities. She didn't seem to smile much, but then, Weiss had always conserved her grins, as well. The first thing the young Schnee had noticed about the two was that they were faunus, which made her nervous. Not because she was scared of faunus, but because she simply wasn't comfortable around them, and she had her surname to thank for that.

Her entire life, Weiss had never heard a positive word uttered toward the race. Her father, Jacque Schnee, had no exhaustion of biting abuses to spew about them, and Weiss' personal experience with faunus in the past had never been pleasant. This was partially due to the fact that many faunus she had met were radical activists who held marches in the streets outside her father's office or waited in front of her home to bombard Weiss or her siblings. The scar she sported on her left eye had been inflicted by the serrated knife blade of a fox faunus who had jumped her in the streets for the snowflake insignia on her blazer.

The other negative encounters were with perfectly reasonable faunus who shunned her with cold words and sour looks, again, for her last name. And she didn't blame them. The company her father ran had for years been notorious for its bigoted attitude and cruel treatment towards both employees and customers who were faunus. Refusal of service, denial of insurance benefits and promotions, lowered, unfair salaries, and harrowing working conditions. And this wasn't even touching on the workplace abuse faunus employees and laborers experienced from their human coworkers and superiors. The same could be found between human employees and faunus clients.

So, when Weiss took in Sun's golden tail and Blake's flicking ears, she wasn't afraid or disgusted. She was worried that once they heard that her name was Weiss Schnee, former heiress to the Schnee Electric Company, they would not want anything more to do with her. And then Weiss' second attempt at making friends since arriving in Patch City would be wrecked like the Titanic.

Fortunately, and a bit to the girl's surprise, both shook her hand and nodded amiably when Neptune introduced them to each other. Blake had been very patient with her at the concessions counter when Weiss had struggled to navigate the flashing electronic menu and haphazard shelves of brightly-packaged candy. Sun had eagerly instructed her as they walked toward the ticketmaster's podium on how she was to hand him her ticket and got to keep the stub. Neither raised eyebrows or pursed lips, obviously concealing their contempt for the sake of social pleasantries and common courtesy. The both seemed to treat her like any other nineteen-year-old girl who was new to Vale and experiencing culture shock; faunus or human, Schnee or no Schnee.

Weiss was distracted from her multi-minute train of thought by a sizeable bucket of popcorn being shoved in her face, courtesy of Yang. The previews had ceased a couple minutes prior and the film was just opening. With a prompt from her blonde friend, Weiss selected a few pieces from the top, examining them a moment with mild curiosity before popping them in her mouth. She had experienced the treat a few times as a child, during holidays spent with her grandfather, but it had been many years, and kernels popped and buttered in an industrial-sized kitchen at the Schnee Manor held a wide disparity from those made in a theatre popcorn machine. Weiss quickly deduced that the object was far too salty and buttery to do anything but destroy one's cholesterol levels, but it was frustratingly delectable. Yang must have noticed her popcorn-centered satisfaction, because she giggled teasingly, offering the other more of the buttery snack.

After overcoming her rediscovery of popcorn, Weiss happily settled into her comfortable seat to watch the film. The story followed two siblings, both training as dancers and actors, in Dumonte, Mistral during the 1920s. The sister, Diane, sustained an injury that resulted in the amputation of her left leg just a few weeks after her brother Benjamin had received a starring role in a production. Most of the plot conflict centered around the two trying to deduce who had orchestrated Diane's injury in an attempt to sabotage her career, and the rest concerning the pair's emotional and physical rebound from the occurrence.

The film certainly had its dramatic moments, though nothing Weiss found tear-rendering. However, once the end scene came, both Yang and Weiss had a few spare tear drops glistening on their cheeks as Diane balanced herself in a solitary high heeled shoe. Benjamin offered his arm to keep her from falling as they waltzed together in the empty theatre, the spot light reflecting off of the honey-lacquered floorboards of the stage. The credits soon rolled, and both ladies swiped at their damp faces just before the lights came up. The group collected their crushed candy boxes and dented popcorn buckets, ice rattling in their cups as they filed down the carpeted corridor to the exit which led back into the crowded lobby.

"So." Sun nudged Weiss' arm with his elbow. "How'd you like your first big screen experience?"

"It was good," nodded Weiss, a small smile blooming on her face. "The ending scene was a nice touch."

"Aw, Weiss is a little sentimentalist," teased Yang. "So how did you feel about Benjamin and Angelina?"

"Eh." The girl made a face, shrugging noncommittally. "I was a bit disappointed they ended up together, but I'm not upset, I suppose."

"Are you kidding me, they were perfect together!" countered Neptune, voice pitched just high enough to possibly be considered a shriek.

Sun shook his head in disappointment. "Forgive him, ladies, he's always had poor taste in women."

"What the - I do not!" Neptune shoved at his friend.

"Oh yeah?" challenged Sun. "Remember Periwinkle? And what about Dawn? And that one-night thing with Nebula after the foosball tournament?"

"Foosball tournament?" Blake interjected with a grin.

"It was actually quite intense, don't question it," Neptune disclaimed. "Anyway, yes, those were not my finest moments. Nebula was cool, though, we still chat often."

There was a pause, promptly followed by Weiss and Yang doubling over with laughter. The others were quick to join in. Weiss couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard, if at all. This feeling, walking and joking with her friends late on a Friday night, was so foreign to her. It felt...good. What felt far less pleasant, however, was the convulsing and lack of air brought by the giggles, which were a poor match with the popcorn and soda sloshing in her stomach.

Weiss' legs shuffled to a halt, and the sidewalk spun in and out of view with her dizzied head. She vaguely sensed her palms scraping the concrete, then two strong, steadying arms around her waist. Yang pulled her back into a sitting position.

"Whoa, there."

"Y'okay, kiddo?" Sun gently grasped her elbow, helping to steady her.

The dazed one nodded, standing slowly. "Yes. Just a dizzy spell." She took a breath, pulse tapping uncomfortably against her temple.

"You sure you're not gonna be sick or something?" asked Yang. Weiss nodded once more.

"I'm fine, just tired. Too much popcorn."

The blonde nodded, keeping her arm around her friend's shoulder as they stood and began walking again. "I'll drive you back to the motel."

"You sure, Yang?" Sun asked. "She can rest once we get to my place."

"It's okay, you guys go ahead. I'll come by again tomorrow."

Weiss protested. "Yang, we don't have to leave, I'm fine."

"Yeah, no." Yang grinned. "You're not pulling that. Come on, it's past your bedtime, anyway," she joked.

The young people walked with their friends to the parking lot, Sun and Blake heading for his car and the others to their respective motorbikes. Weiss rubbed her eyes, straddling Bumblebee as Yang pulled on her helmet. Neptune cleared his throat.

"Yang, let me take her back," offered he.

"Thanks, but I got it."

"No, I'm serious," Neptune argued. "We're at the same motel, and I wanted to crash early anyway - really, I did!" he added in response to the blonde's arched eyebrow. "I'll drive her home, you go with Sun and Blake."

Yang picked up Weiss' helmet hesitantly. "You're sure?"

"Totally," the bluenet assured. "Just save me a pizza roll, right?"

The other rolled her eyes, but conceded, handing Weiss the extra helmet as the girl switched from Bumblebee to Salacia. She nodded, mumbling that she would return it the next morning, too tired to do much else. A yawn blossomed, unwelcome, onto her face - her drowsiness had really crept up on her. The friends shouted their 'goodnight's from their rides, and Weiss let her forehead fall against Neptune's shoulder blade as he kicked off, squeezing her eyes tighter shut against the soft yellow light of the street lamps overhead and traffic lights ahead.


	12. Check In, Check Out

**Chapter 12: Check In, Check Out**

Yang swallowed a yawn as she left the flower shop, stretching her arms. She was greatly looking forward to heading home and diving face first into her unmade bed, but first she was going to check in on Weiss. Granted, the girl was hopefully fast asleep by this point, but perhaps Neptune would be up. Many might have argued that the trip didn't really serve a purpose, but Yang's subconscious kept out this debate in its want to delay the night's closing. This was, almost sadly, the most fun Yang had had in ages, a point amplified by the fact that she hadn't gone out with friends, well, since the car crash. She would never acknowledge it, but driving to the hotel at what was nearing one in the morning on the off chance that a friend might be up to chat was her last-ditch dive at keeping the evening from ending all too soon, despite how exhausted she, understandably, was.

Thankfully, she'd had a couple generous swigs of most-definitely-caffeinated soda back at Sun's, which gave her the boost she needed to stay alert on the road. If it weren't for this, Yang would've gone straight home rather than risk driving anymore than necessary. After all, though she wasn't the most sensible soul, Yang was never quick to be irresponsible when it came to being behind the wheel. Especially so, ever since she'd lost her arm as a result of recklessness on the road. If it could even be called that.

Hanging a right, she pulled into the motel parking lot and quickly parked out front, jogging inside. She paused for a moment, then whipped out her phone. She didn't know Neptune's room number and, even if she did, it was probably a better idea to text him in order to determine whether the man was awake, rather than risk rousing him at such an ungodly hour by knocking on the door. Yang shot him a text, to which he promptly replied, almost as if he'd been staring at his phone screen in expectation. Yep, he was definitely still awake.

Taking the stairs to get her blood pumping and keep her awake, Yang made her way to room 304, tapping her fingernails softly on the shiny wood. It swung open almost immediately, a familiar face peeping playfully around the edge.

"Why, good morning," greeted he.

"And what a fine morning it is," she agreed, stepping into the room.

"Almost as fine as yourself," Neptune countered. He leapt onto the bed, legs folding up under him as Yang seated herself in the desk chair.

"My, what a flirt." She rolled her eyes. "So, everybody's favorite receptionist get to bed okay?"

Neptune nodded, peeling off his goggles and ruffling his shock of electric-blue hair. "Yeah, she's fine. I walked her to her room and made she didn't fall or anything. She's out like a light."

Yang smiled. "Aw, what a gentleman. Seriously, though, you didn't have to do that, I could've taken care of it."

"Seriously, though," he mimicked. "it was no problem. How were things at the florist?"

"More of the same." She shrugged, copying his cross-legged position. "Soda, junk food, talking about this and that and nothing much. Blake actually spoke, believe it or not."

Neptune clutched his chest dramatically, feigning shock. "Full sentences?"

"You could've made a short story out of all the dialogue we pried outta her," bragged Yang. "And of course Sun was hanging onto every word."

"Of course." Neptune gave a small snicker. "He thinks she's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Not to say that she isn't a fine young woman, that is."

"But not as fine as me?" teased Yang, cocking her head so that her hair brushed against her jeans, which bore generous stains procured from popcorn butter.

"But not as fine as you," the young man conceded. The two sat in silence for a moment, pausing to yawn. "So," he picked back up. "I'm assuming you didn't come out here just to check in on Weiss. I mean, it's not like she's laying in the hospital, gasping for breath."

Yang held up her hands in defeat, grinning widely. "You caught me. Just looking for an excuse to stay up, I guess. I had way too much fun tonight."

"Well." Neptune began, then paused once more to grunt as he arched his back in a stretch. "If you are ever in need of company at any hour of the day or night, Neptune Vasilias is at your beck and call."

"Ooh, do you offer room service?" Yang cocked an eyebrow.

"The whole nine yards."

"Impressive."

The two yawned simultaneously, then glanced at each other. It was clear that, despite their best efforts, their movie night had reached an end.

"Well, as much as I'd love for you to stay, I think it's time we both got some well-deserved rest," said Neptune, walking her to the door.

"Thanks for inviting me and Weiss to this thing." Yang smiled. "I mean it, it wasn't just her that had the time of her life." Neptune gave a little bow.

"I live to serve, milady."

Yang giggled, letting her head fall forward against his black T-shirt. The warmth of his chest against her face made the tide of sleepiness crashing against her brain that much heavier.

"I don't know why I'm hugging you."

"Oh, please continue, 'cause I'm about ready to fall asleep on my feet, and you're really warm." Neptune laughed, about as much as one can when they are as prepared to doze off standing up.

"I gotta admit, you make a pretty good pillow." Yang swatted his shoulder playfully, an action she had to be gentle with, since her hand was now made of metal, and reluctantly relinquished her warm T-shirt pillow in order to open the door.

"See you Monday," he said as she stepped out into the hall. Yang brushed her hair out of her face, her cheek still warm, though she wasn't sure if it was Neptune's body heat or something else.

"See you Monday."

* * *

Sun stretched his arms wide, shoulder popping satisfyingly as he waved goodbye to Yang. He stood at the window, watching to make sure his friend drove away safely before returning to the couch. Blake was seated in a chair on the other side of the coffee table, a mug of tea in her hands.

"So, you enjoy yourself?" he asked. The woman was silent a moment, staring down into her mug.

"Yeah," she admitted. "Yeah, I did. I hadn't expected to, I actually didn't even want to go, but I did." She sipped her tea. "What about you?"

Sun shrugged. "It was nice to be out and about. Y'know, just a night to hang out with my friends. I hadn't had that in a while. Since before my dad died, I guess."

He glanced at Blake for a response, but she offered none. He sighed, resting his jaw in his hand. "Sorry. I hate talking about stuff like that. Sorry."

Blake set her cup down onto the dark wooden table with a dull knock. "Don't apologize. When something like that happens, it makes you want to talk about it. It's just how some people cope. You don't need to feel like you're asking for attention just because you want to talk about something that hurt you."

He scratched his arm absently. "I don't even like to think about it. I mean, my mom passed away when I was a kid, and then my older sister after I graduated from high school. So, with him gone, there wasn't anyone else to take care of the shop. I had to leave my apartment, leave my job - I liked that job. I really liked that job. I guess I'm better working with machines than with plants that just die eventually, no matter what you do."

Sun could have kicked himself. Now he'd started talking and couldn't stop, as usual. This was so embarrassing. The last thing he needed to be doing was oversharing about how lonely he was to this girl, whom he really liked, for the record. Blake was so reserved and calm, a very private person, really. She never made herself vulnerable like this. Well, almost never. Why couldn't Sun be like that?

"I'm really bad with plants."

"Seriously?" asked Blake. "You run a flower shop. One which seems to be doing pretty well, by the way."

He chuckled nervously, tail lashing back and forth, though this subconscious movement escaped his attention. "I can keep 'em alive long enough to sell them, yeah, but nothing like my parents. You should have seen my dad. 'Green thumb' was an understatement." Sun laced his fingers together in his lap. "He loved things that grew."

The room was quiet, save for the sound of Blake sagely sipping her warm chamomile. Sun began to gnaw his lip, then forced himself to stop. He was constantly moving and fiddling, a characteristic he'd bore since he was a boy. It was a hard habit to break.

"He loved things that grew," he repeated, this time more to himself. Idiot, he'd already said that, hadn't he?

"You said your mom and sister died when you were younger?" Blake reiterated. Sun nodded. "So, what about other family? Don't you have cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. My grandparents are dead, and my dad was an only child. My parents were immigrants, like yours, so any relations from my mom's side of the family probably aren't in Vale."

"So, you're it."

"Yeah. I'm it."

The loneliness Sun had experienced after his father's death was nothing compared to what he felt when he finally spoke those words aloud.

* * *

 ****A/N: So after a literal dozen chapters of build-up we actually have some substantial romantic tension. I sure am taking my time with this plot, but I don't really regret it, as I think that by forcing myself to be patent and slow down I'm ensuring that I'm putting my best foot forward. Despite how crawly-slow things have been going, and the fact that I've only backlogged up to Chapter 19, I have actually outlined and planned out a lot of major arcs and plot points. So anything I've done for this story, from actual writing, to frequency of updates, to preliminary outlining and planning ahead as I write, is a lot better than I can say for literally any other piece I've written, fan fictions and original works alike.**

 **Anyway, I hope I haven't disappointed so far, and that everyone is looking forward to the next few chapters as much as I am. Apologies for the update being a bit later than usual. Things will be slowing down now, but I'm trying to keep it so that I never go a full month without writing or updating. Thank you for reading and please leave constructive criticism in the reviews!**


	13. Part 1: Where Are We Going To Live?

**Chapter 13: Part 1; Where Are We Going To Live?**

Neptune growled in annoyance, jaw tense as he brought all his strength down upon the wrench, which was attempting to unscrew a bolt that was stuck in place like dried oatmeal on a kitchen table. He grunted with exertion, then yelped as the bolt gave, nearly smashing his forearm into the sharp metal edge of a hub cap that rested on the floor by his elbow. A chuckled echoed from the other side of the garage.

"Everything okay over there, Mr. Muscles?" teased Yang.

"Barely. I nearly lost my - " he began, then stop, disguising the halting hesitation in his sentence with a cough. " - grip on the wrench." Neptune had initially intended to exaggerate that he'd almost lost his arm, but quickly realized halfway through his sentence that such a comment would likely be inappropriate, considering who he was talking to.

"That's what power tools are for." There was a clatter as one of Yang's tools got bumped onto the ground, then she picked back up with, "So, how are things in the life of Neptune?"

He set the bolt aside, moving reluctantly to the next one. "Expensive. I've been at the motel for almost three weeks now, and suffice to say I really need to find new accomodations. Plus, it's not the most comfortable situation long-term. It also means I don't have a microwave, which is disappointing."

"Yeah, Weiss was talking about needing to find a place two. Granted, she could easily swing it on her own, but on this kind of job, her savings aren't going to last her long for rent unless she gets one of those rat-ridden dumps downtown. I mean, the Menagerie Platform used to have some pretty decent complexes, but most of the livable ones that are still affordable are filled up."

"Yep." Neptune sat back, giving his muscles a fleeting rest as he pulled up the hem of his shirt to mop the sweat from his forehead. He took a swig from his water bottle, blissfully unaware of his fellow mechanic checking out his bared midriff with an unashamed smirk.

"Maybe you and Weiss can look together," Yang suggested.

"What's this?" Weiss appeared at the opposite wall, closing the door to the office behind her. Neptune set down his water bottle and twisted his wrist in order to look at his watch. Sure enough, it was about five minutes until quitting time. The shop did stay open after five o'clock, but it was considerably less busy, so Tai was able to manage it on his own, especially since Yang often stuck around in the evening to tinker with the junkheaps.

"Hey, Weiss. Neptune was just saying how he needs to find an apartment, and I mentioned you wanting to look around, too," explained Yang.

Neptune jumped in. "Rent isn't exactly free around here. What do you say, interested in being roommates?"

Weiss took a moment to considered this proposition with a cocked head, taking a packet of spearmint gum from her purse and placing a piece on her tongue. The white-haired girl gave a few delicate chews before replying, "I don't see why not."

Neptune nodded. "Cool." And cool, it was. Gods, it really paid to have Weiss as a friend. Decisive, organized, and perfectly willing to put up with him on a daily basis so that they could both afford rent. "Weiss, have I ever told you how stunning you are?"

The girl scoffed, smirking. "Save it for when I'm yelling at you for not taking out the trash."

"Aw," crooned Yang. "You two will be a regular domestic couple."

"Mm, no offense, my pristine pale pal," Neptune addressed Weiss. "but you're not exactly my type."

"None taken. I don't date goons, and I mean that in the kindest way possible," Weiss deadpanned with a cool, cruel indifference. Yang guffawed like a boisterous schoolgirl, which, it could be argued, she was. "That goes for you, too, brute," the younger girl added. Neptune cackled, leaning back on the palms of his hands. Wry and dry, as usual.

"So, when's a good time for you?" he asked.

"Hmm?"

"To look at apartments."

"Ah." Weiss exchanged the pack of gum for her cellphone, presumably in order to look at her calendar. "Well, why not now?"

"Now?" Neptune and Yang chimed together.

"Now." Weiss affirmed with a nod. "You should come, too, Yang. After all, you know the Patch City scene better than we do."

"All right!" Yang pumped her chromed fist in the air, pushing herself to her feet with her other arm. "Apartment hunting on a Wednesday night, it is."

Neptune stood, brushing off his jeans and moving to pack up his toolbox. "You really think after five on a Wednesday is the best time?"

Yang shrugged. "Knowing this town, there's bound to be somebody willing to let you take a look around. I mean, I bet you there's at least five empty apartments at the complex on Grassland Way. Gary owns it, he's a pretty good guy."

Weiss nodded satisfactorily. "Well, let's go pay Gary a visit, shall we?"

"I'm driving!" Yang shouted over her shoulder as she dashed to grab her bag form inside the office, beaming widely. Neptune chuckled as Weiss rolled her eyes at the blonde's weak joke, grabbing his helmet and straddling Salacia, raring to go.

* * *

Yang's instinct had proved fruitful. Gary was in his office, amiable and willing to spare a few minutes to talk to the trio, and had two slots still unspoken for. The first was on the top floor, and there was only one elevator. Unfortunately, the machine was being used by a small family who was in the middle of moving some furniture into their new home on the third floor, so the group graciously took the stairs.

'A little worse for wear' was an understatement concerning what Gary showed them. The previous inhabitant had been very fond of clove cigarettes and owned a cat whom they did not take very good care of. Granted, Neptune didn't actually know this for fact, but the overwhelming odor that thickened the air in the cramped, tri-roomed space was proof enough for him. It was clear that Weiss felt the same way, and so the four people traveled to the second floor to see the other available living space.

This apartment had five rooms, as well as a window which looked out onto the street. Gary showed off the space with sweeping gestures, bringing their attention to the roomy bedrooms and double-vanity bathroom which it flaunted. When he named the asking price, however, Wiess glanced hesitantly to Neptune, who immediately shook his head. Yes, he could likely manage it, but, even with splitting the rent, doing so would draw his purse strings painfully taut. He'd be tightening his belt and living off of instant ramen in the blink of an eye, a prospect that was attractive to neither party involved.

The three youth were slightly disappointed, though, realistically, none had truly expected to find an apartment and seal the deal on the very night they had slapped a plan together. They thanked Gary, accompanying him down the hall, as his office was at the same end of the building as the entrance which Neptune, Weiss, and Yang had arrived through.

At the end of the hallway, Yang slowed, a curious look on her face. "Hey, Gary, you find a taker for 213 already?"

"Hmm?" The rotund man rotated, glancing back at the blonde, who was gesturing to the last door in the corridor. "Oh, no. I can't get anybody in there. I'm planning to let it sit empty for a little while, see if there are any takers after things settle down. Shame, really, it wasn't a bad space."

"What do you mean?" inquired Weiss, stepping closer to the door.

"Triple murder went down here just last fall. Really gruesome." Yang explained. "They caught and prosecuted the murderer just a few months ago, so he's safely in the slammer, but nobody's too eager to move into a place where three kids got stabbed and dismembered."

Gary shook his head in disappointment. "Shame, real shame."

"Hey, how big is this?" Neptune asked, thumbing over his shoulder at the door.

"Two bedrooms, one bath, conjoined kitchen and living room." Gary counted off on his fingers. "One closet per bedroom, a linen closet and cupboard under the sink in the bathroom, and a very small coat closet in the living room."

"May we look around in here?" Weiss cocked her head, her white ponytail streaming down the side like a drift of snow.

Gary shrugged, procuring a heavy, well-used key ring from his pocket and beginning to pick through the individual keys for the right one. "Don't see why not."

He shouldered the door open, allowing the three friends to enter and poke around. It had obviously been emptied out and thoroughly cleaned since the unpleasant crime Yang had mentioned, but was pretty musty and dusty from disuse. The bathroom sink and stand-in shower were in definite need of a good scouring, and some of the doors on the kitchen cabinets needed to be replaced. Weiss confirmed to them that all of the closets needed new racks, and there was absolutely no furniture to be had within the apartment itself.

Gary named his price at their asking. It was reasonable, though not quite as low as he and Weiss had budgeted for. However, for a place that was in good shape and a deal that they could finalize quickly, added to the fact that the complex was not too far from their place of work, Neptune was more than willing to take it as it was. He was about to confirm his intentions with Gary when Weiss sighed, glancing around the room critically.

"Seems a bit much, for a place that needs so much work." She turned to Yang. "Did you say it was dismemberment?" The blonde nodded, the younger girl wrinkling her nose in reaction. Poor Gary fell for the ploy like rain from the sky.

Before he knew it, Neptune was back in the landlord's office, signing a small stack of paperwork alongside Weiss to finalize the deal. He had never rented an apartment before, and understood very little of the forms he was signing. Thankfully, Weiss seemed to have a head for this sort of thing, something which could be attributed to her time as an intern at the SEC, so she took the lead. Neptune allowed her to explain the basic terms of their tenancy as they left the building, and felt assured that his pale friend had ensured everything was in order.

Yang drove Weiss back to the motel, the two girls deciding to grab dinner together first, and Neptune headed downtown, eager to tell Sun and Blake about his new living arrangements. He vaguely realized that this sudden change hadn't really been planned out at all, but, strangely, everything had seemed to work out fine. There was no plan, for this or whatever came next, but it comforted Neptune.


	14. Part 2: Permanent Valentine

**Chapter 14: Part 2; Permanent Valentine**

Yang slung one arm over her head, leaning into the stretch a bit before straightening, bringing her hands together with a crisp clap. She was raring to go. It was Saturday morning, the sun was bright and golden as her own thick tresses, streaming through the window of the apartment and making a warm patch on the beige carpet. All in all, it was a perfect day to help your two friends move into their new apartment, and Yang was excited. She was pumped, she was ready -

"Yang, stop standing in the doorway and help me with this thing!" Weiss huffed loudly, interrupting the blonde's positively charged thoughts. She was trying to wedge a decent-sized couch through the door, and to no avail. Yang turned to assist her, letting her chattery disposition take over. She had helped Weiss and Neptune shop for furniture and other necessary home goods after work the previous day. Experiencing a generous streak, Weiss had purchased the items on her own, insisting that Neptune would make up for it by keeping the utility bills low and not wasting any electricity or water. The trio had borrowed Sun's florist truck as a makeshift moving van, having stored the larger items overnight in the garage of Taiyang and Yang's home.

Neptune soon arrived with the last of their things, and the three rushed to get everything into the apartment. Weiss took his motel and car keys, switching off roles in order to pick up both parties' toiletries and clothes, as well as check them out of their rooms. It wasn't until a few minutes after Weiss had left that Yang fully realized what the conniving girl had done.

"Aw, she left us with all the cleaning!"

This was unfortunately true, as the kitchen and bathroom needed to be thoroughly cleaned before they could begin putting everything in its proper place. The carpeting in the living room and bedrooms needed a good vacuuming, as well. Begrudgingly, the blonde handed her blue-haired cleaning companion a scrub brush and spray bottle, and together they tackled the soap-stained, grime-coated bathroom.

Some shouts and squealing soon ensued, as the chore became a spray bottle battle as much as a quest for clean tiles. Eventually, they did manage to get the room into a satisfactory state, and Yang suggested that they start moving furniture into place before beginning to clean the kitchen. By the time Weiss returned with the suitcases and a couple fast food bags containing their lunch, the couch, coffee table, and armchair were in place, and the living room carpet vacuumed. Rather than being angled toward a TV, the seating faced the window, which looked down on the street a mere story below. Weiss and Neptune had elected to hold off on purchasing a television, hoping they could get an older, used one for a good price a few paychecks afterward. Besides, the window was easily the best quality of the apartment. An arm-span in length and nearly floor-to-ceiling in height, it somehow made the plain view seem special. And it looked ten times better once Weiss had wiped it down with some glass cleaner.

The group took a half-hour rest to eat and talk before Weiss cracked the whip once more, sending them back to work. An hour later they had finished with the kitchen. The cabinet doors still needed to be replaced, but Neptune decided that that was an issue they would leave for another day. WIth every task checked off the list it seemed like they were very close to being done, only to have their hopes dashed minutes into their next project as the youths realized just how much further they had to go.

The sun had sunk quite low on the horizon by the time the two bedrooms were finished - if it could be called that. Weiss had procured only one mattress and bedframe so far, so Neptune would have to sleep on the couch until they got him his own bed. They'd managed to find two nightstands and a dresser at the liquidation outlet, but, other than that, the two rooms were quite sparse, and would remain so until Weiss and Neptune set aside enough cash to get some more furniture.

After another hour spent on dinner, Weiss decided at the last minute that the repainting of the bathroom should not be left until the next day. And so everything was moved out again, and Yang popped open a can of powder blue paint, which she had made a fleeting run to the hardware store for, so that Neptune could begin covering the walls. This decision meant that the entire place would smell like paint as it dried overnight, but no one complained.

It was around 10:15 when Neptune finished painting, and yawns had begun to spring up all around. The drowsiness was made worse by the prospect that they still needed to clean up the painting supplies and put everything back in the shower, cabinet, and linen closet. Yang expected Weiss to be hanging over their shoulders, ensuring that everything was put away neatly, but the petite femme was nowhere to be found. Ducking her head into one of the bedrooms, Yang confirmed her suspicions. Weiss was face-down on the bed, completely asleep. Snickering, the blonde grabbed a blanket from the box of linens and spread it over the girl before returning to the living room. Neptune had removed his goggles and set them on the coffee table, rubbing his eyes.

"Where's Weiss?"

"100% out like a light," giggled Yang, punctuating her sentence with a yawn. "Well, I better get home. Don't wanna fall asleep in the middle of the road."

Neptune nodded, walking her to the door as Yang pulled on her jacket. They both yawned once more. Neptune smirked, then gave a small bow. "Milady."

"This feels familiar." Yang laughed. She leaned forward, but instead of resting her head on his chest like before, her sleep-deprived brain screwed up and went for his lips instead. It was really nothing more than a prolonged peck, but she didn't pull her face back along with her mouth. "I don't know why I'm kissing you."

"Please continue." The reply seemed more genuine than teasing as he returned the favor, lips soft and just a tad dry.

"You need lip balm," Yang hummed.

"What, you're gonna kiss a guy and then criticize his lip care?"

She giggled. "Uh-huh." Their mouths met again, tired of the chattering and much more eager for some action. Yang brought her hands up to rest on Neptune's neck. She noticed him twitch slightly, as if trying to stifle a flinch at the contact of cold metal with his skin. The blonde was suddenly very conscious of her prosthetic.

"I should go home," she stuttered, abruptly pulling her head back. "Any longer and I'll be too tired."

"Hey, it's not good for you to be driving right now," Neptune murmured into her neck, breath displacing some of the yellow strands that rested in her hairline. "You can stay over."

The suggestion made Yang's shoulders relax immediately. Admittedly, she had been concerned about getting home. However, it remained that the woman was hyper-aware of her right arm.

"Gee, at least buy me dinner, first," she teased.

"I mean, I pitched in for dinner tonight, so that counts," he pointed out. "Seriously, though. Nothing untoward. I just don't think you should be on the road."

The two distracted from the line of conversation with more kisses, these fractionally deeper. Yang was pressed against the door, her friend's arms firmly around her waist, but she didn't mind. She slid out of her boots, kicking them to the side of the door.

"Well, Weiss appears to have claimed the only mattress," said she.

"Hmm, you think both of us could fit on the couch?" Neptune mused.

"Long as you don't mind being a human pillow," the other muttered into his cheek.

"Alrighty, then." His arms tightened around her waist, lifting her toes an inch or so off of the carpet as he shuffled toward the couch. Neptune half-sat, half-fell onto the cushions, Yang weighing down his lap considerably. They both shrugged off their jackets, Yang deftly unhooking her bra and threading it out from under her shirt, too tired to do anything but drop it under the coffee table. Yeah, she'd been wearing that thing all day, no way was she sleeping in it.

Neptune had already leaned back, eyes closed. There remained the issue of Yang's arm. She usually took the prosthetic off to sleep, for comfort's sake, but would've left it on just so she wouldn't have to remove it in front of Neptune before she realized that if she slept in it, the metal pieces that made up the joints might catch on and pinch either party's skin, a situation which would be far more embarrassing and uncomfortable. So, gritting her teeth, Yang brought her left hand up, firmly pinching the two buttons that released her right arm with an audible click. Laying it on the carpet, Yang lay down, trying to ignore the fact that over half her arm was absent. Lifting his left hand, Neptune brushed warm fingers gently across her upper arm. It was a comforting gesture, as if to utter a reassuring 'it's okay', but in a less forward manner.

Yang let her cheek settle comfortably on his chest, the same black T-shirt pillow from that night at the motel. Reaching up his right arm, Neptune pulled a blanket that had been draped over the back of the couch down on top of her, spreading it over her back so that it covered both of them.

"Aw, great."

"What's wrong?"

"Light's still on," said Neptune. "I'd leave it, but Weiss will complain about wasting electricity."

Yang sat up a bit, glancing at the door directly in front of her, maybe eight feet away. Next to it, on the right-hand side, was the light switch.

"Give me your key ring."

"Huh?"

"I can totally make that shot, give me your keys."

Neptune laughed a bit, digging around in his pocket, which took a moment because it was sandwiched under Yang's thigh, and handed the item to her. The blonde took it in her left hand. It wasn't her dominant one, but losing her right had resulted in Yang becoming pretty darn handy with her left. She wound up, then released the keys, grinning as they hit their target with a satisfying, metallic smack. She was worried they hadn't pulled the switch down hard enough, but the overhead light went out.

"Nice throw," commented Neptune.

"Thank you." Yang laid back down, closing her eyes. Neptune's hand once again curled around what was left of her right arm, and she let it. She was way too tired to even begin to think about everything that had occurred in the previous ten minutes. Sure enough, not sixty seconds later, both youths were fast asleep.

* * *

 ****A/N: An update that has been a long time coming! And our first official romance chapter, I suppose I'm moving up in the world. You may not have picked up on it, but the title of this chapter and the previous one is a reference to a Kevin Heider song called "Permanent Valentine". Before the song was completed, its working title was "Where Are We Going To Live?". I found that the phrases worked well with what I had planned for these chapters, so there's a little fun fact for you. I still have my backlog of chapters (I'm currently well into Chapter 19), but no solid estimates of how often I'll post. We'll just have to see how things go. Hope everyone is having a great week.**


	15. Remember Reminded

**Chapter 15: Remember Reminded**

"Hey, neighbor!"

Blake composed herself, choking down an obnoxious sigh before turning to face her problems. "Morning, Sun."

Damn it, she'd even gotten up _twenty minutes early_ in order to avoid this morning chat as they swept the walk. Blake wasn't sure what was going on, but it felt like the universe wanted nothing more than to make her miserable. She couldn't quite explain to herself why she so detested being around Sun Wukong. Maybe it was because he was far too talkative for her liking. Maybe it was because she insisted that she preferred to be alone. Or maybe it was because he made her laugh against her will, because she felt different around him. She felt, well, not lonely. Blake discarded the thought, of course, because it was ridiculous. The woman had to return her attention to the person before her, however, since Sun was talking again.

"Yang helped Neptune and Weiss move in the other day, apartment 213. Wanna go visit?"

Blake gave a swipe of her broom, trying to conjure up a valid way to decline the offer. "I really shouldn't leave my shop."

"It'll take an hour, tops. I mean, how many people do you know in Patch City who're going to get a tattoo at 7:50 in the morning with no appointment?" he countered with a winning grin. Blake frowned. Now she knew why she didn't like being around Sun - she could never say no to him. The monkey faunus took her scowl as an affirmative that she'd come with him.

"Awesome, I'll start up the car." He ducked into the flower shop to stow his broom away, locked the front door, and moved to fetch his vehicle from behind the building. Blake sniffed, begrudgingly grabbing her bag from inside and locking up, as well. By the time she exited the Nightshade Ink House, Sun was already waiting at the curb in his truck. The feline femme climbed up into the passenger seat, and Sun waited until he saw that she was securely buckled up before turning into the morning traffic.

The drive uptown wasn't too lengthy, maybe ten minutes, but it seemed like an eternity in Blake's mind. She tried to distract herself from the fact that Sun was whistling under his breath not a foot away from her by pressing against the window, watching the passing landscape. She knew these streets, probably better than the back of her hand, actually. After all, she'd spent so much of her life here. But rather than her childhood, Blake found herself reminded of something much less pleasant: her time at Beacon University, where she'd met Ilia. And Adam.

It wasn't the streets, but being in the car that reminded her of the young man whom she hadn't seen or spoken to in months. Adam had driven a truck, being one of the few students who had a car on campus. He'd mostly used it to drive Blake and their friends from the on-campus social justice group to their rallies and marches on the weekends. But Blake could remember sitting closer-than-close in the bed of the truck after class on Fridays, the heat from each other's bodies helping fight the late night chill. To-go cups of coffee from the shop down the street from the dorms, though their lips had spent more time on each other than on their drinks. She remembered how it felt back then, eighteen years old, studying her passion at the college of her dreams, with kisses on her cheek from someone she'd never fathomed she could love so much and not a care in the world. Like everything was perfect, until it wasn't. Until she saw the truth.

Blake tore her mind away from the memory of how Adam's arm felt around her waist and her mouth on his neck. That wasn't something she wanted to think about right then. Not then, not ever. Fortunately, she had the opportunity of distraction as Sun pulled into a space in the parking garage and put the vehicle in park. Blake jumped out immediately, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. She didn't know where her friends' new apartment was, and so waited for Sun to lock the car and lead the way.

They ended up at the end of a hallway on the second floor, stepping quietly so as not to wake any other residents who had decided to sleep in on a Sunday morning. Sun pressed his ear against the white-painted wood of the door, pausing.

"Aren't you going to knock?" Blake frowned, mildly confused.

Sun shook his head. "Neptune always sleeps in, and I don't want to wake him, he was up pretty late painting the bathroom. Weiss is never still in bed after 7:00, but I can hear the shower running, so I'm not gonna make her come get the door. Thankfully, Nep gave me a spare key when he returned my car the other day, so I'll just let us in and then tell Weiss we're here so that she'll be decent when she gets out of the bathroom."

Blake balked as Sun pulled a keychain from the pocket of his shorts, hooking the metal loop on the tip of his prehensile tail. "How do you know all that?"

"Oh, I text Weiss pretty much every morning, since I found out we're both early risers," he explained, finding the proper key and sliding it into the lock. "And I text Neptune every evening, sometimes call, have ever since high school, 'cause he's a night owl, always has trouble getting to sleep. That's how I knew about the bathroom being painted." He paused before opening the door, sensing her amusement. "I told you, I get lonely," he offered sheepishly, pushing the door gently open so as not to make too much noise. Blake entered behind him, beginning to slip off her shoes. She noted absently that someone had dropped their key ring by the door, but halted abruptly when Sun muttered, "Oh, crap."

Glancing up, Blake saw the source of the interjection. On the couch, which was perpendicular to the wall in which the door was set, both blue and blonde hair was visible peeking out from behind the arm rest. Blake quickly deduced what she was seeing, a closer look revealing Yang draped rather suggestively on top of Neptune, both snoozing away without a care.

"Oh my god, please tell me they're fully clothed," she moaned quietly, covering her mouth with one hand.

Sun gave a reassuring nod, though the uncertain, halting way he spoke betrayed that he was just as suspicious as Blake. "It's fine, it's fine. I guess Yang didn't want to drive home so late and they got a little, um, friendly." The blond stared hesitantly at the scene a moment longer, then turned into the kitchenette, hoisting himself up onto the counter and pulling out his phone, likely to text Weiss that they were there. Blake remained by the door a minute, not wanting to sit down in the chair in the living room and unsure of where else to go. Eventually, she joined Sun in the kitchen area, leaning her back against the counter.

"Hey," Sun whispered, quickly catching her attention. "If they start to wake up, don't stare. Yang takes off her arm to sleep, and she's kinda self-conscious about it."

"Again, how do you know this?" inquired Blake, both mildly bemused and amused at the monkey faunus' observance.

"Oh, we used to do movie nights with Rubes all the time, back when I worked at the auto shop." He paused, then frowned in a near-pout as he turned jerkily towards the woman. "And no, for the record, we did not sleep together. Which is better than Nep can say."

A giggle escaped Blake's throat without her permission as she lifted her palms in the air defensively. "Hey, I insinuated nothing."

Just a couple minutes afterward, the door to the bathroom opened slowly, and Weiss tip-toed out, clothed in what must have been the solitary pair of jeans she owned and a lilac-purple blouse, her long hair twisted up into a towel. She held a pair of neatly folded pajamas, and leaned into one of the bedrooms to set them down before turning to greet the guests.

"Good morning, you two."

"Hey, Weiss." Sun smiled amiably. "I see you guys had a sleepover last night."

The girl rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly as she opened the fridge and selected a carton of milk. There wasn't much else inside. "Whatever happened after I fell asleep, happened. As long as they don't have sex on my couch, I really don't care."

Blake and Sun smirked at the pale one's statement. Weiss pulled a paper bowl and a box of cereal from one of the cabinets. "Either of you want some breakfast?"

Sun agreed gratefully. Blake would have declined, but she had forgotten to eat earlier, and her stomach was already growling, so she joined the other two. The three had just finished with their meager meal when Blake's cat ears flicked softly, detecting stirrings from the couch. Glancing over, she saw Yang and Neptune slowly blinking awake, lips dry and paper-like from sleep, though not for long, as they were moistened by the other's mouth. The two were blissfully unaware of the company they were in.

"About time you got up," Weiss called rather loudly from across the room, a wry smirk on her lips. Both people yelped in surprise, jerking to sit up but only succeeding in toppling to the floor due to their entwined state. Yang hit the carpet with an 'oof', Neptune having landed on top of her. The bluenet's hands were out in front of him in order to break his fall but, rather than the floor, they had ended up pressed against the blonde's generous bust.

"Shit," the two lovebirds muttered together, clambering to sit up in a haphazard and physically clashing manner that escalated the other three's chuckling to obnoxious guffawing. Yang clicked her prosthetic back into place so quickly that no one really noticed, though this was likely because their eyes were squinted shut as they doubled over with laughter.

"Alright, alright, pipe down, you animals, you'll wake the neighbors!" Yang shouted in annoyance, although the smile on her face and the red in her cheeks betrayed that she could laugh at herself, too. Neptune himself was chortling along with the others, and also flushed pink, so it was clear there were no hard feelings about the teasing.

"You want to call anybody an animal, it should be yourselves," countered Weiss with a snap of sass. "I think turtle doves would be suitable, or rabbits, perhaps?"

Yang pouted at her friend, crossing her arms as Neptune stood and stretched. Weiss merely rolled her eyes once more. "Put a bra on, brute."

Blake giggled, bumping shoulders with Sun in the process. He playfully shoved back, and the woman barely caught herself from elbowing him teasingly before she remembered that she wasn't with her friends back at college. Neptune and Yang quickly righted themselves, and the group sat down in the living room. Weiss was in the chair, Blake and Sun on the couch, and Yang and Neptune on the carpet at their feet.

"I understand you staying over, but did you really have to share the couch?" Weiss pursed her lips.

"Uh, yeah, we really did, since you took the only mattress," Yang shot back.

"And it's a good thing, who knows what would've happened if you'd had a bed to yourselves."

Sun smirked. "Kiddo's got a point."

"Alright, we get it, can we drop it now?" Neptune grinned, running a hand through his bedhead.

"Okay, topic change!" Sun volunteered eagerly and unsurprisingly. "I had an idea the other day, since you two have an apartment now," he addressed Weiss and Neptune. "What if the five of us got together for dinner every Friday? Y'know, every week we rotate who makes dinner and whose place it's at."

"Like some sort of family dinner?" asked Yang. Sun pondered this, then corrected, "Framily dinner. Family of friends. But yes."

"Hmm. That does sound nice," Weiss mused.

Neptune shrugged. "I'm in."

"Yeah, me too," Yang seconded.

"Blake?" Sun asked, turning to face his dark-haired couchmate.

The outlier hesitated. She wanted to decline - all this arrangement would do was force her to socialize even more, and, worse, at scheduled intervals. But everyone else had already agreed and, as usual, she found it practically impossible to say no with Sun's eager smile inches from her face. So Blake nodded in agreement, inwardly knowing she'd regret it later.

The two faunus stayed a few minutes longer, then said their goodbyes, walking back to the car in silence. The ride back to the Menagerie Platform was just as agonizing as the one from, but in a different way. Rather than her past, Blake was firmly rooted in the present, such as the sound of Sun's breathing, deep and even, or the jolt she experienced every time he made a sharp turn and their elbows touched. It wasn't reminiscing about her college days, but it was almost worse, in a way.

Sun pulled around back of the flower shop, parking the truck. "Hey, you want to pop in the back a minute?" he invited. "I got a new order in and I just finished an arrangement of it that I wanna show you."

Blake was already on a roll today concerning things she didn't want to do, so she shrugged and complied, following the young man inside. He lead her through the shop, which was crowded with colorful displays and racks of arrangements, to the back room, where the actual work with the plants occurred and extra flowers were stored. It was chilled to suit the flowers, and the air smelled of fertilizer and dew.

Sun wove expertly through the shelves and racks before finding the one he wanted, reaching up and selecting a particular glass bowl. He showed it to her; it was a cluster of little sprigs with small, dark purple petals, scattered amongst tiny white blossoms and a few velvety purple pansies. A small smile spread across Blake's face.

"It's nightshade, also known as - "

"Belladonna," Blake finished. She sighed as he replaced the arrangement, smile faltering. Sun noticed her downcast look, and turned to face her.

"Hey."

She glanced up at him, arms crossed over her chest. He was standing unbearably close to her, but she didn't move back. The nearness gave her a closer look at his dark blue eyes. She'd never really noticed them before.

"Are you okay? You've seemed really down lately. I mean, I'm not trying to pry, and I know you probably don't want to talk about what happened the other week, but I just - " He cut off as she leaned against him, pressing her lips to the corner of his mouth. Sun stiffened slightly at the contact, then melted as if candle wax, hands folding around her waist. Blake shifted her mouth fully against his, the kiss chaste but firm. She'd claim she wasn't conscious of what she was doing when she looked back on the incident, and maybe there was a ring of truth in that. And so she stood there, one hand on his back and the other immersed in his gold-hued hair.

A mesmerizing moment passed before Blake surfaced from her reverie. _What the hell was she doing_? She jerked back, abruptly breaking off the embrace.

"I - have to go," she stammered, turning tail and all but running through the shop, pushing through the front door and out onto the sidewalk. The world outside was sunny and warm compared to the shop, but Blake still felt ice cold. Hurriedly unlocking the door to the tattoo parlor as if she was being chased, Blake ducked inside, the bell above the door screaming at her, as if telling her to go back and say something, anything to Sun to acknowledge what had just happened.

She noticed the sign attached to the front window was still flipped to 'closed' from earlier that morning. Blake would've kept it that way, but knew that she shouldn't. Business was slow, and she needed all she could get. What would her parents say? The mental question seemed directed both at the prospect of her haphazardly closing up shop as well as kissing an unsuspecting and well-meaning neighbor with no warning.

Blake flipped the sign with a shuddering hand, retreating to the back of the shop. She seated herself on one of the leather chairs, head in her hands, and did her best to sniff back the tears she felt blossoming behind her eyelids.


	16. Hello Again

**Chapter 16: Hello Again**

Weiss straightened the papers by rapping them on the desk, placing the stack on the tray to her right. Judging that she had a few spare minutes, the girl leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs and pulling out her phone. A few junk emails, which she swiftly cleaned out of her inbox. A couple texts from Sun about whether snowcaps would go better with peonies or marigold. She replied, since the answer was peonies, obviously.

"Who would pair snowcaps with marigolds?" she wondered under her breath.

"That does seem an odd combination."

Weiss glanced up, promptly placing her phone face down on the desk. Before her stood another customer, one who had entered rather noiselessly. He was dressed business casual, though it didn't look he had been working. Perhaps it was just what he liked to wear in general, much like herself.

"Good afternoon, sir, how may I help you today?" Weiss smiled politely, sitting up.

"I'm in to get a car detailed. Oil change, tire rotation, I was told you guys also do washes. I was wondering if I needed to schedule and come back, or if I can just have it done now."

"We do accept walk-ins," confirmed Weiss, standing. "The garage is that way, and the doors should be open. You can pull in there, I'll page one of our garage hands to take care of you."

The young man nodded his thanks. Weiss hesitated a beat, studying his face. Something about him seemed familiar. She couldn't deduce if was his face or his voice, the way he carried himself. Perhaps it was a blend of the attributes.

"Excuse me, but do I know you from somewhere?"

The man smiled slightly, leaning his elbows on the counter that separated Weiss' desk from the waiting area. "I was hoping you might recognize me. Henry Marigold." He stuck out a hand, which Weiss shook firmly after a fleeting pause.

"Henry. How could I forget?"

"Well, it has been a few years since we last saw each other."

"Yes, three, I believe. The undercut looks good on you," she complimented with a wry grin, suppressing inward shock as she realized what she sounded like and struggled not to appear flirtatious.

"You haven't changed a bit." He let go of her hand, a bit sheepishly. "What are you doing in Patch?"

Weiss interlaced her fingers on the countertop, a few inches across from Henry's. "Working. I could ask you the same question."

"Ah, I'm visiting my aunt. It's her car that I've brought to get detailed, actually," he explained, thumbing to the parking lot out the door behind him. "I'm staying with her this summer, she's been having mobility issues as she gets older, so I'm here to keep an eye on her, make sure she's able to get around alright."

Weiss felt her lips twitch into a small smile. "That's sweet of you."

"Thank you." Henry brought a hand up to his neck, tugging on his collar. "Hey, um…"

"Yes?" Weiss prompted, trying to sound friendly.

"Is there any possibility we could get together while I'm in town, catch up on the past three years? Over coffee, possibly?"

Weiss' smile widened, her left hand reaching up involuntarily to tuck a piece of her bangs behind her ear. "Of course. I'd love to." She reached for a notepad on her desk, fumbling slightly as she selected a pen from the utensil cup and copied down a string of numerals in neat script. She tore off the piece of paper, sliding it across the counter. "I'm free any weekday after five, if you want to text me a time that would be good for you."

Henry nodded, thanking her as he turned out the door. Weiss watched through the glass door as he fetched his aunt's car, pulling it around to the garage.

* * *

Weiss slipped through the office door into the garage, turning to bring it fully shut behind her. Neptune and Yang were standing together in the middle of the space, pausing their conversation to turn to their coworker.

"Good day in the office?" Neptune inquired with a smile.

"Like any other day, I suppose." Weiss shrugged. "Though I did give a guy my number."

Yang did a dramatic double-take. "Your cellphone number? Aw, you slut!" she teased, grinning ear to ear.

"Xiao Long, watch your language in front of the lady." The blue-haired one chided, clapping a hand over the blonde's mouth. "In all seriousness, though, who was it? Was he cute?"

Weiss rolled her eyes, smirking. "Henry Marigold. Our families were acquainted when we were younger."

Yang gasped loudly, eyelashes fluttering in exaggerated delicacy. "Ooh, childhood friends to lovers. You should write a romance novel about it."

The pale girl scoffed. "We were far from friends. The last time I saw him was when we were sixteen, and even at that point we never got along."

"Why not?" shrugged Neptune. Weiss sighed.

"He always came off as very…"

"Douchey?" Yang prompted.

" _Flippant_ ," correct Weiss with a scowl. "Cheeky, if you will. And I suppose I was a bit…"

"Grouchy?" Neptune suggested.

"Testy," Weiss growled, giving an evil eye that clearly warned the two to tread lightly before the loss of a finger. "Cold, I suppose. Standoffish."

"Cantankerous, perhaps?" Yang pursed her lips, but was only able to hold the expression a moment before breaking into a snickering smile.

"That's a big word, Yang, don't hurt yourself," Weiss shot back venomously, though the smirk that the corner of her mouth curved into gave away that she meant only to tease back at her friends. The blue and gold merely laughed, swiping at squinted eyes. Yang flipped her sweaty ponytail behind her shoulder, reaching up to remove the hair tie which held it in place. "So, you guys planning a candlelit dinner for tonight? Just make sure you use protection after you're done eating."

"You. Are. Disgusting." Weiss punctuated each word with a nod of her head. "And no. He asked if we could catch up over coffee, I agreed. It's not a date, it's not a hookup. It's someone I haven't seen in a long time who actually seems to have grown into a likeable and interesting person, and who also appears to think the same concerning myself, and we'd like to possibly become friends." She ended with a slight sniff, at which she could tell her companions were trying not to snort.

The discussion shifted to the topic of the 'framily dinner' on Friday, and Neptune confirmed with Weiss that they would be willing to host it, provided that Weiss and Yang handled the food and Blake and Sun took charge of clean-up. Yang did point out that this left Neptune with far less work than the others, but Weiss assured her that he would have plenty to do concerning cleaning the apartment and shopping for actual dishware to use, rather than the paper plates and plastic cutlery they currently had.

The three of them went their separate ways, Yang heading out to pick up some groceries for her father and Weiss and Neptune heading back home to make some headway on the decoration and organization concept of living in an apartment. Since the latter two now lived together, Neptune was the one who drove Weiss to and from work. Yang had generously lent Weiss the extra helmet until such a time as she was able to purchase one of her own, though, with the expenses of the apartment and furnishing it, it would likely be a while before Weiss was able to give the loaned item back.

The pale tip of her ponytail waved like a streamer behind her as Salacia sped through the streets, carrying the two friends swiftly home. Weiss leaned her forehead against Neptune's shoulder blade, closing her eyes. The prospect of taking a nap rather than getting work done was highly tempting, but the Schnee's productive drive won over quite quickly in her head. She let her mind drift, thinking back to the familiar face she had encountered that day. It, surprisingly, was the first time in a few weeks Weiss had been reminded of her family and the childhood home she had left behind in coming to Patch City. The memories weren't particularly pleasant, and perhaps Henry Marigold could relate in that concern. But perhaps there would be opportunity to make new ones.


	17. Changes

**Chapter 17: Changes**

The evening sun that streamed through the trees across the street and the open door landed in patches on the floor of the garage, a few flecks of light setting off the gold in Yang's ponytail, the hair slightly tangled from a day of work. The woman stood, stretching her arms. She gave her prosthetic a quick wipe-down with her grease rag and began to pack up her toolbox. As she straightened, two arms slipped around her waist, and a tuft of aqua hair rustled in her peripheral as Neptune rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Working hard?"

"You know it."

He released her, hoisting up his own plastic crate, and they moved to push them against the wall. Their shoulders bumped as they righted, and Yang exhaled sharply. Neptune glanced over at her, brow furrowed.

"What's up?"

Her index finger pressed into the skin of her right arm, or what remained of it. "Nothing."

"Something," Neptune prompted. "You need anything?"

Yang moved to shake her head, but stopped. "I just need to know. Last weekend."

Neptune nodded, beginning to catch on to her intention. "What about it?"

"Um," she stalled, searching for words. "What's going on, between us. Like, I get that it was anything intimate, but we've technically slept together and we haven't even…" Yang trailed off, avoiding the other's eye. Yeah, she'd had the celibate-hookup talk with guys before, even a girl, once, but none of those compared to how awkward and uncomfortable this felt. It wasn't because this was the first time she'd actually liked the person, at least two of her longer-term high school lovers had resulted from similar beginnings.

Yang wasn't positive what made this instance different than the others. Maybe it was the fact that they weren't teenagers who could shrug it off a few months down the road as a schoolkid fling. Or possibly it was that they worked together, or maybe that they'd only known each other for about a month. Or, perhaps, it was because Yang hadn't been involved with, or even thought of pursuing, someone since before the accident that had cost her so much else.

"And I haven't even bought you dinner yet," Neptune finished for her. "Although I'm very eager to change that fact. If you want to, that is."

Yang frowned, feeling a slight, flustered confusion rising over her. "Uh, do you? Want to?"

Hand reaching to rub his neck absently, Neptune laughed hesitantly. "Well, yeah. I don't think you would've ended up pinned to the floor with my hands all over one of your finest assets if I didn't."

The blonde giggled. "You mean my hair?"

"Yeah. We'll go with that."

Yang laugh in spite of herself, nodding. "Okay, then."

"You like Mistrali food?" he inquired, cupping his chin in his hand.

She smirked. Knowing Neptune, he was almost definitely going for the spaghetti and meatball shenanigan ploy, or some other pasta-romance related cliche. "Sure."

"Pizza it is, then." The bluenet winked.

"Hmm, classy."

They smiled, and Yang leaned forward. She thought about placing her head against his shoulder, but instead opted for his lips, this time with more conviction than previously. Both pairs of shoulders jumped as the door between the office and garage opened with a clack. The couple jerked apart, spinning to face the sound. It was their white-haired friend, having just finished packing up for the day.

"Good day in the office?" Neptune picked up seamlessly. Yang smiled.

* * *

The screen of her phone lit up suddenly, bright and momentarily startling in the dark room. Yang had been sitting on her bed with the lights off, as she had taken to doing over the past few months, but lurched forward with a start at the tinny ringtone. The contact picture which dominated the small screen was a stock photo of small goldfish swimming alone in a large, artificially blue ocean wave, and the caller ID read "New Guy". The tag wasn't quite as fitting anymore, but she hadn't thought to change it before now. Reaching over to tap the 'accept call' button with her left hand, Yang plucked the device off of her bedside table and brought it to her ear.

"Y'ello."

"Like your hair. Fitting."

The golden-headed woman rolled her eyes. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing much," Neptune replied. "Just got back from the store with a pack of dishware which is currently going through the Schnee inspection."

Her soft chuckle bubbled into the speaker. "Good luck getting it to pass."

"What're you saying, you think I have poor taste in cutlery and drinking glasses?" He faked offense.

"No comment," droned Yang. "How are you feeling about the dinner?"

His shrug could almost be heard through the phone line. "Looking forward to it. I expected Sun to be bouncing off the walls in anticipation, but I've gotten some radio silence from him recently."

"Hmm. Well, maybe there's a big event coming up, what with summer break about to start. You know, graduations, retirements. He probably got a big order in that's made him really busy. I mean, how many employees does he have?"

"Uh, none."

"What?" She scoffed in disbelief. "You mean he runs the entire thing alone?"

"Yep," Neptune affirmed. "And it's a good thing he's not located uptown, otherwise he wouldn't be able to handle it all on his own. I mean, business is light, but it's not slow, especially when you throw in how much time those arrangements take. It's been a really big adjustment for him."

"Wow," was all Yang could say at the moment. She ran the tip of her nail along the top of her thigh absentmindedly. If her friend had been struggling with the changes recently, he was pretty good at hiding it. Neptune's voice continued through the speaker, and Yang realized with a jolt that he had asked her a question.

"Sorry?"

"How about you?" Neptune repeated. "The dinner."

"Oh." Yang leaned back against the cool wood of her old headboard, glancing over her right shoulder at her bedside table. Anyone could see just how late it was by the fact that the near-summer sun had finally set, and moonlight shining through the window in geometric shafts splayed across the miscellaneous objects on the surface. It made everything pale, and almost as if it was all covered in a fine layer of chalky dust.

"You there?" Neptune's distorted voice made her head jerk back forward, looking straight ahead at her bedroom door.

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry. The dinner." Yang stumbled distractedly over her words, grasping momentarily for the topic they had been discussing. "Right. Yeah, it's gonna be nice. You know, to be around people."

"What do you mean?"

The blonde sighed, pausing to consider the query. "I, uh, I don't know. I guess...you know, it's felt kind of bare around here, lately. Things have changed a lot."

"Okay. How so?" the other prompted gently, his relaxed, conversational tone helping Yang slow her breath a little.

"Well, I, um." Yang exhaled loudly. "After the crash, after I got out of the hospital, I just felt so...solitary, I guess?" She continued haltingly, trying to describe the scenario in the proper words. "And I wanted to be around people, you know, I didn't want to be lonely, but, well. I, ah, it felt like all I could do was keep people back. Arm's length kind of thing." There was a pause, and Yang's palm met her forehead forcefully enough that she was fairly confident Neptune had also heard it over the line. She giggled nervously.

"Wow, that was grossly unintentional. Heh, I, um, I guess it just got to be even more so, because Sun had to leave, and then Ruby finally left home for school, and I...I suppose I just finally realized that things were never going to go back to the way they were. Which was stupid, I mean, how could they, I don't know why that hit me so hard. It just...change. Yeah. Lots has changed, and it's, uh, not going to change back, so."

Yang hadn't even realized how hard she was clutching her phone, nor the pressure with which she held it against her left ear. The only sound for a few moments was the soft crackle of air over the phone lie, the occasional puff of breath from either speaker.

"You don't have to come, if you don't want to." His voice was not disappointed, just soft, nearly warm. It reminded Yang of how his lips had felt the previous weekend, sleepy and gentle. "To the dinner."

She shook her head, though she knew that the action was not received by the other over the phone. "No. No, I want to come. I'm looking forward to it. Because...because meeting you, and Weiss, Blake, even. It's a good change. It's the first good change I've had in awhile. And I, I like the change. You're the best change for me, Neptune."

If smiles could be heard, both youths wished the person on the other end could pick up on theirs. "High praise. Things have, um, changed for me, too. And, to be perfectly honest with you, it was really freaking me out. But, I think, you're the best change for me, too."

The young woman's eyes crinkled as her smile widened, and she pressed her face to her bare knees, which were drawn to her chest. "Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow. Yeah. Bye."

"Bye." Yang giggled, just slightly, ending the call and dropping the phone onto her comforter. Her cheeks were warm, the same feeling as that night at the motel, when they were rested against Neptune's chest. It was almost as if she could sense his arms around hers again, firm and secure. They didn't change. Yang hoped they wouldn't.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed your periodical dose of uwu SeaDragon and Yang angst. Stay tuned for more. :)**


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